An internal inquiry has revealed that funds worth Rs 60 lakh were misappropriated in the Puri District Red Cross Society.
Notably, the society is headed by the district Collector. Only public contributions are sole sources of Red Cross, which are spent for charities to people in need.
‘The Pioneer’ on March 12 was the first to break the news of the bungling of more than Rs 60 lakh in the Red Cross Society.
When the issue came to the notice of ADM Binay Dash, he immediately replaced a woman OAS officer, who was in the charge the Red Cross and Emergency Departments.
The ADM also ordered an internal inquiry into the details of the funds including the income and expenditure of Red Cross Society. After the ADM was transferred to Bhubaneswar, no follow up action was initiated on the inquiry report.
The woman OAS officer, who transferred to land acquisition office is presently under the scanner of her department head and the Vigilance Directorate. She was allegedly instrumental in funds embezzlement in nexus with a clerical staff of the office, office, who died recently.
The OAS officer, who is presently in- charge of the Red Cross and Emergency Departments, has informed the senior officers about the discrepancies.