Odisha Vigilance apprehended Jaya Kumar Juad, a Forest Department official, for allegedly misappropriating government funds exceeding Rs 55 lakh. Juad, serving as a forester in Kalahandi district, stands accused of fabricating muster rolls and vouchers related to Soil and Moisture Conservation works, leading to the embezzlement.
Investigations unveiled a systematic misuse of funds amounting to Rs 55,04,607 earmarked for environmental projects, including schemes like CAMPA and Compensatory Afforestation. The accused, in collaboration with others, reportedly circumvented financial controls by falsifying documents at plantation sites, inflating work hours, and submitting bogus bills.
Juad faces charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and will be presented before the court for legal proceedings. In a separate incident, Odisha Vigilance also arrested Adwaita Prasad Mallick and Badri Narayan Ray for alleged misappropriation of public funds meant for a self-defence program at a college in Jajpur district.
