A major financial fraud involving the misappropriation of government funds has come to light, with the Odisha Vigilance arresting three individuals in connection with a Rs4.03 crore VAT refund scam.
The arrested individuals include Satyaki Pattanaik and Deeptikanta Choudhury, both private citizens, and Abinash Pradhan, a staff member of the CT & GST Department in Bhubaneswar, currently serving as Assistant Commercial Tax Officer (ACTO) in Jeypore. The arrests followed an extensive investigation conducted by the Odisha Vigilance Department.
According to the press release, the accused had colluded with other CT & GST officials to fraudulently obtain a VAT refund of Rs4.03 crore by tampering with financial documents and submitting forged statutory forms. They impersonated authorized representatives of M/s G.E Verona T&D Ltd to divert the government funds.
The investigation revealed that the fraudulent scheme involved the submission of fake documents to claim VAT refunds. The accused persons took advantage of their positions within the CT & GST Department to process and approve the fraudulent refund request, resulting in the misappropriation of Rs4.03 crore.
A criminal case has been registered against the accused under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code , with charges including forgery, impersonation, and criminal conspiracy.
After being apprehended, the three suspects were presented before the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance in Bhubaneswar. Further investigations are ongoing, with the Vigilance Department working to identify other individuals potentially involved in the scam.
This arrest marks a significant development in the ongoing crackdown on corruption and fraud within government departments in Odisha. The Vigilance Department has assured that they are determined to uncover the full extent of the scam and hold all perpetrators accountable.
