Odisha Vigilance on Wednesday arrested Mausam Behera, the former secretary of Sunamudi Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society (PACS) and Tamia PACS under the Patnagarh Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies (ARCS) Circle in Balangir district.
Behera has been accused of misappropriating a total of Rs 22,19,636 during the financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26.
According to vigilance officials, he allegedly falsified records by showing refunds of Amanat (deposit) money that never occurred and diverted proceeds from fertiliser sales instead of depositing them into the Cash Credit (C.C.) fertiliser loan accounts of the two societies.
Following his arrest, Behera was produced before the Special Judge, Vigilance, Balangir, and remanded to judicial custody. Sambalpur Vigilance Police Station has registered Case No. 11 dated 05.08.2026 against him under Section 13(2) read with 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, and Section 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Officials described the action as part of a broader crackdown on financial irregularities plaguing cooperative societies that serve farmers across the state.
The investigation remains ongoing, with vigilance teams examining additional records and transactions to determine the full extent of the alleged diversion of funds.
