Puri, Oct 28: The vigilance department of Odisha police has swung into action after allegations that the Health department has misappropriated a huge amount of money out of the Rs 4.38 crore sanctioned to the department for Nabakalebar rituals of lord Jagannath and his siblings last year.
Officially it’s stated that Grant-in-Aid (GIA) to the tune of Rs 4.38 crore was released to the Health department for expenses on different heads. However, it is shown in the expenditure report that a sum of Rs 1.66 crore was spent to purchase machineries and equipment for the department. Prashant Kumar Dwivedi, DSP (vigilance), Puri stated that the department will also look into officers’ stay in hotels in the town during the festival on government expenses.
More so, the investigating officials have come to know that during the Nabakalebar ritual, a whopping Rs 17 lakh was transferred to the personal account of then nodal officer KK Sarkar. Meanwhile, chief district medical officer, Jagat Krushna Samantaray of the district has said he will cooperate with the officials in the investigation.
