Odisha Vigilance arrested Pradip Kr Mohanty, retired headmaster, and his wife Gitarani Mohanty early today in Bhadrak.
The couple had absconded after being accused in a pension fraud case involving Rs 5.56 crore. Vigilance teams tracked them across Odisha and West Bengal. They shifted locations frequently to evade arrest. Officials suspected their presence in Kolkata and conducted raids at multiple hideouts. The duo sensed trouble and left Kolkata last night. They concealed their presence at a hotel in Charampa, Bhadrak. Vigilance officers nabbed them during a morning operation.
Investigators revealed that Pradip Mohanty misappropriated pension funds while re-engaged at the BEO Office after retirement. He transferred large sums into personal accounts belonging to himself, his wife, his son Matruprasad Mohanty, and others. Vigilance arrested Matruprasad yesterday.
Officials confirmed that the interrogation of Pradip and Gitarani Mohanty is underway. The investigation continues to trace the flow of misappropriated funds and identify additional beneficiaries. Vigilance sources stated that the fraud case highlights serious lapses in monitoring pension disbursement.
