Bhubaneswar, Mar 19: In a major crackdown on financial irregularities, sleuths of Odisha Vigilance have arrested retired headmaster Pradip Kumar Mohanty in connection with an alleged misappropriation of ₹5.56 crore of government funds.

According to reports, Mohanty and his wife, Gitarani Mohanty, had been on the run, frequently changing locations across Odisha and West Bengal after the scam came to light. The couple was reportedly hiding in Kolkata before moving towards Bhadrak, where they were apprehended from a hotel early Thursday morning. Both are currently being interrogated by investigators.

Earlier, Vigilance officials had arrested Mohanty’s son, Matruprasad Mohanty, a branch head at Jana Small Finance Bank in Bhadrak, for his alleged involvement in the fraud.

The scam reportedly targeted the office of the Block Education Officer (BEO), Korei, in Jajpur district, leading to a financial loss exceeding ₹5.56 crore. Investigations revealed that the misappropriated funds were diverted into personal accounts of family members and associates.

Officials further stated that Pradip Mohanty allegedly misused the Human Resource Management System (HRMS) by fraudulently reactivating records of 13 retired teachers, showing them as still in service to siphon off funds.

The case has exposed a well-planned conspiracy, and further investigation is underway to identify additional links and recover the embezzled money.

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