A major financial fraud has rocked the Sambalpur Excise Department, where officials allegedly siphoned off government funds worth Rs 3.67 crore through fake transactions.
Police arrested two accused — suspended Junior Assistant Sandeep Kumar Pattnaik and retired official Sarat Chandra Behera — while another retired ASI, Achyuta Dehury, has been named as a key conspirator.
Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar Bhamu revealed that the embezzlement took place between November 2022 and October 2025. The fraud came to light during an audit, after which the Excise Department lodged a complaint at the Ainthapali police station.
Investigators said the accused manipulated the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) portal to generate fraudulent sanction orders. They withdrew large sums under the guise of pension and salary arrears. Police seized ₹23.46 lakh in cash and froze nearly ₹44 lakh across multiple bank accounts, including those linked to Dehury.
Authorities confirmed that the accused fabricated records, including bill registers and cash books, to conceal the transactions. The investigation is ongoing to trace additional links and identify other individuals involved in the scam.
