Agriculture subsidy amounting to Rs 6.81 crore pocketed by two brothers, arrested
India Today
Two brothers in Odisha were arrested for pocketing upto Rs 6.81 crore in agricultural subsidies.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Odisha Crime Branch arrested two brothers on Thursday for misappropriating government subsidies amounting upto Rs 6.81 crore. The subsidy amount was meant for farmers and other beneficiaries.
The accused brothers are Manas Ranjan Dash, Director of Sheetal Agro Inputs Pvt Ltd, and Tapas Kumar Dash, proprietor of Mishita Enterprises. Their companies are located in Purohitpur, Taradapada and Jagatsinghpur.
The subsidy amount was meant for farmers for the supply of agricultural equipment.
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The EOW in its probe found out that Sheetal Agro Inputs Pvt Ltd is registered with the agriculture department under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme as an agricultural equipment manufacturer.
During the period from 2018 to 2020, Manas Ranjan Dash with 8 other dealers allegedly uploaded fake invoices to supply 504 transplanters to farmers in 19 districts. Crime Branch ADG Sanjeeb Panda said they managed to avail subsidies of over Rs 6.81 crore under the DBT scheme.
An EOW press release stated that Manas Ranjan Das and his brother would persuade the beneficiary to withdraw the total subsidy amount right after it was credited to their accounts. They took away a major subsidy amount in cash from the farmers by giving them a reduced amount.
