In a significant development, the Odisha Vigilance arrested an Associate Professor from the Department of Hepatology at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, after he was caught with over Rs 2.50 lakh in ill-gotten cash. The vigilance team intercepted Dr. Sanatana Behera while he was carrying the cash, suspected to be collected illegally from bidders for medical instrument supplies.
The vigilance officials stated that Dr. Behera was intercepted at Kathagolasahi Medical Road, Cuttack, as he was heading to his government quarter on a Hero Honda Activa Scooter. A sum of Rs 2.63 lakh was found in his possession, which he could not explain satisfactorily. The cash and the scooter were seized by the vigilance team, followed by searches at his residential quarter, a building, and his clinic in Cuttack.
In a separate case, the Odisha Vigilance also arrested Subal Kumar Sahu, the former secretary of a cooperative society in Balasore district, for allegedly misappropriating government funds amounting to around Rs 19.80 lakh. Sahu was accused of diverting funds meant for the Crop Insurance Scheme to ineligible members by manipulating official records. He was dismissed from service earlier for the embezzlement of public funds and was arrested for misappropriation of Rs 19,80,255.
