Odisha Vigilance Arrest Angul DHH Clerk in ₹2.38 Crore Govt Fund Case

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Odisha Vigilance arrested an Angul DHH clerk for allegedly embezzling ₹2.38 crore of government funds.
Gold, luxury vehicles and a palatial triple-storeyed building were unearthed during raids.
The accused allegedly inflated his salary over eight years by manipulating official records.

ANGUL: The Odisha Vigilance arrest Angul DHH clerk case has sent shockwaves through the state’s health administration after vigilance officials arrested Subrat Behera, a clerk of the Angul District Headquarters Hospital, for allegedly misappropriating government funds to the tune of nearly ₹2.5 crore. The arrest came after an intensive search operation spanning over three and a half months, officials said on Tuesday.

Multiple teams of the Odisha Vigilance are currently conducting simultaneous raids at his residence and other linked locations in Angul district to trace the full extent of the financial irregularities.

Salary Manipulation and Alleged Cheating of Doctors

According to official sources, Behera allegedly manipulated salary records over several years to unlawfully draw excess payments far beyond his entitled remuneration. Investigators also suspect that he cheated several doctors by misusing his access to establishment and accounts-related work.

The hospital administration had earlier lodged a case against him for financial misappropriation while he was serving as an accountant. Soon after the case was registered in October 2025, Behera went absconding, prompting a statewide manhunt by Vigilance officials.

Assets Unearthed During Vigilance Raids

During the ongoing house searches, Vigilance teams have unearthed substantial movable and immovable assets allegedly disproportionate to Behera’s known sources of income. These include:

One palatial triple-storeyed building of approximately 4,500 sq ft located in Angul town

Around 450 grams of gold
One costly four-wheeler (Skoda car)
Three two-wheelers
Bank deposits, postal savings and other investments, which are still being verified

Officials said the valuation of the building is being carried out by the Vigilance Technical Wing to assess its current market worth.

₹2.38 Crore Misappropriation Over Eight Years

Preliminary findings suggest that Behera allegedly misappropriated ₹2.38 crore by drawing excess salary amounts over an eight-year period from 2017 to 2025. The excess funds were reportedly credited directly into his salary account operated at the State Bank of India’s Angul branch.

Vigilance officials believe the fraud was carried out by exploiting loopholes in payroll and establishment processes, raising serious concerns over internal financial controls within government health institutions.

Career Details and Ongoing Investigation: DHH Angul Junior Clerk

Subrat Behera (DOB: January 17, 1987) joined government service on September 10, 2007, as a Junior Assistant in the office of the SDMO, Athamallick, with an initial monthly salary of ₹8,000. He was later transferred to SDMO Talcher in 2009 and subsequently posted to the office of the CDMO, Angul, in 2011, where he was attached to the Establishment Section.

Further investigation is underway to determine whether other officials were involved or whether systemic lapses enabled the prolonged embezzlement. Vigilance authorities said more disclosures are expected as the probe progresses, with strict legal action promised against all those found guilty.

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