Bhubaneswar: Vigilance officials in Odisha have arrested Pradip Kumar Mohanty (67) and his wife Gitarani Mohanty (62) in connection with a massive embezzlement case involving Rs 5.56 crore. The arrests came a day after their son, Matruprasad Mohanty, branch head of Jana Small Finance Bank in Bhadrak, was apprehended for the same scam.
The father-son duo allegedly manipulated the Human Resource Management System (HRMS) of the School and Mass Education department. They falsely marked 13 retired teachers as “active,” generating monthly salary bills that diverted government funds into their accounts and those of other family members between November 2018 and September 2024.
Pradip, a retired headmaster re-engaged by the Korei block education office, reportedly conspired with his banker son to siphon funds. Gitarani Mohanty, a homemaker, was also implicated for facilitating the transactions.
The vigilance team tracked the couple across Odisha and West Bengal, ultimately arresting them from a hotel in Charampa, Bhadrak district. Officials have stated that strict action will continue to recover the misappropriated funds and investigate further accomplices.
