Forester Jaya Kumar Juad arrested for embezzlement of govt funds
Jaya Kumar Juad, the forester of the office of Biswanathpur Forest Range Officer in Kalahandi district has been arrested by Odisha Vigilance on charges of misappropriation of government funds.
Kalahandi: Jaya Kumar Juad, the forester of the office of Biswanathpur Forest Range Officer in Kalahandi district has been arrested by Odisha Vigilance on charges of misappropriation of government funds.
Odisha Vigilance arrested Juad for misappropriation of Government funds over Rs 55 lakh by preparing false Muster Rolls and Vouchers in SMC works at plantation sites under Thuamul Rampur Forest Section.
The investigation reveals a systematic embezzlement of government funds amounting to Rs 55,04,607. The accused acting in his capacity as Forester, allegedly manipulated funds earmarked for Soil & Moisture Conservation (SMC) works during the 2024-25 period.
The misappropriation targeted high-priority environmental funds, including CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority), CA (Compensatory Afforestation) and CPA (Catchment Plan Area).
Evidence suggests that Juad and his accomplices bypassed financial safeguards at three specific plantation sites in the Th. Rampur Forest Section by fabricating muster rolls (creating lists of non-existent labourers or inflating work hours) and forging vouchers (submitting false bills for materials and logistics that were never procured or utilized).
The accused has been booked under the following sections of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 and will be forwarded to the Court.
Further investigation is continuing.
