The Khariar police have nabbed one Chhabilanand Mahanand of Khaliapali village and his accomplice Chhabila Kumbhar of lohorapali of Bijepur block in Bargarh district for misappropriation of about two lakh rupees of a microfinance agency, Annapurna Micro Finance Pvt ltd. located at Khariar.
Mahanand was working as a field officer in the agency, which is working in Nuapada district since 2006.
On July 5, Mahanand had gone for regular collection of payments from the Self-Help Groups which had taken loans from the agency.
He informed his branch manager over phone that some youths near Bargaon village threw chilli powder in his eyes and robbed all the money he had collected from the SHGs.
Getting information from the agency, the Khariar police rushed to the spot and rescued Mahanand. A case of robbery was instituted at the Khariar police station.
However through cross-examinations, the police suspected that Mahanand might be cooking up the story. A subsequent medical check-up of Mahanand proved that there was no trace of chilli powder.
Mahanand later on revealed how he and his accomplice Chhabila Kumbhar misappropriated the whole amount.
The police nabbed Kumbhar with Rs 95,000 on Wednesday at his village lohirapali in Bargarh district.
A case of misappropriation has been lodged and the culprits have been forwarded to court.