ED raids Kalahandi forest staffers, finds 100+ mule bank a/c to siphon govt funds

ED’s Bhubaneswar Zonal office launched the investigation following an Operational Analysis Report from Financial Intelligence Unit-India

Published on: Feb 28, 2025, 21:50:38 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Bhubaneswar: The Enforcement Directorate has found at least 121 mule accounts that were allegedly operated by forest officials of Kalahandi district to divert funds from various state government schemes, people familiar with the matter said.

ED officials began search operations at the office and residences of forest department officials in Jaipatna Range under Kalahandi South division on Friday (File image)

ED’s Bhubaneswar Zonal office launched the investigation following an Operational Analysis Report from Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) that indicated forest department officials used multiple mule accounts to divert funds meant for government schemes, It was estimated that the total diversion could be over ₹2.5 crore.

On Friday morning, ED officials began search operations at the office and residences of forest department officials in Jaipatna Range under Kalahandi South division.

The people said the ED inquiry revealed that officials, including forest guards and rangers, received funds through NEFT from the range office in these bank accounts and withdrew them immediately through ATMs.

Many of these accounts were opened using the same mobile numbers.

During the search, ED seized ATM cards, mobile phones, withdrawal slips, digital devices, and what appeared to be a tiger skin.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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