FIR against ex-truck Assn officials for fund misuse

Rayagada: The Rayagada Town Police registered an FIR against three former office-bearers of the Rayagada Truck Owners’ Association. The charges, filed on the basis of a complaint by the Association’s current president, include financial irregularities, criminal breach of trust, cheating, extortion, and criminal intimidation.

Acting on a complainant by Yalla Venkateswar Rao, police registered the FIR on July 9 and initiated an investigation. The charges, under Sections 406, 403, 417, 420, 384, 506, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, name former president N Bhaskar Rao, former office-bearer B Manmadha Rao, and former treasurer G Krishna as the accused.

Venkateswar alleged that the accused monopolised the Association’s management and finances for years, systematically bypassing transparency. The complaint further stated that vital documents, such as account books, receipts and vouchers, were withheld from members despite repeated demands.

Venkateswar has further alleged that from 2003 to 2023, the Association operated an illegal collection scheme targeting truck owners and transport operators. As detailed in the FIR, these collections were enforced through member contributions and per-tonne commissions, with operators coerced into paying under the pretext of satisfying Naxalite demands.

According to the complaint, near Rs 60 crore may have been illegally collected over the years through these practices and portions of the funds diverted into private businesses and real estate. However, these claims remain under investigation and have not yet been proven in a court of law.

Venkateswar further alleged members seeking financial transparency faced threats and intimidation. He has requested a thorough investigation into the Association’s financial transactions and appropriate legal proceedings against those named in the FIR.