OAS officer held for misusing Rs 4 cr govt funds

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer Madhusmita Singh was arrested on Tuesday for her alleged involvement in misappropriation of government funds worth Rs 4 crore, officials said. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Odisha police, which is investigating the case, arrested Madhusmita from her house at Mankadakendia in Khunta police station area of Mayurbhanj district.

On August 30, Madhusmita was suspended from her service as tehsildar of Jamada in Mayurbhanj district after she was booked in corruption allegations. On the basis of a written complaint of Gourav Pradhan, the Executive Officer, Belpahar Municipality in Jharsuguda district, a case has been registered at Belpahar police station against accountant Bibhuti Sahoo and sanitation expert Soumya Biswa Ranjan Mahali for irregularities in respect of funds allotted under a scheme and under the 15th Final Commission, an officer of the EOW said. Earlier, the accountant was arrested in this case.

The funds allotted under the scheme were meant for earmarked expenditures, but it was utilised otherwise instead without any supportive document and proper mandate, he said. Later, the EOW took over the case. The police, during the investigation, found the alleged involvement of Madhusmita, who was the Executive Officer of Belpahar Municipality from October 4, 2023, to May 31, 2025.