Odisha Vigilance arrests revenue official for ₹8.63 lakh Red Cross Fund fraud
Synopsis
An Odisha revenue official allegedly collected ₹8.63 lakh in Red Cross Fund money over nearly two years — and never deposited a rupee. The Odisha Vigilance arrest is one of 144 misappropriation cases the agency has filed since mid-2024, pointing to a systemic pattern of mid-level government functionaries treating public funds as personal accounts.
Key Takeaways
Sadasiba Pradhan , a former Senior Revenue Assistant at the Sub-Collector's Office, Chhatrapur , was arrested by Odisha Vigilance for allegedly misappropriating ₹8,63,200 from the Red Cross Fund .
The misappropriation allegedly occurred between December 2023 and August 2025 ; funds were never deposited into the designated SBI Chhatrapur branch account.
A case was registered on 31 October at the Brahmapur Vigilance Police Station under the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 and BNS 2023 .
Pradhan has been produced before the Special Vigilance Judge in Brahmapur ; further investigation is ongoing.
Odisha Vigilance has registered 516 criminal cases and arrested 537 officials since 12 June 2024 , with ₹76.96 crore in alleged embezzlement across 144 misappropriation cases .
Odisha Vigilance has arrested a former Senior Revenue Assistant (SRA), Sadasiba Pradhan, for allegedly misappropriating ₹8.63 lakh collected towards the Red Cross Fund at the Sub-Collector's Office in Chhatrapur, Ganjam district. The arrest, announced on Sunday, follows a vigilance inquiry into financial irregularities spanning December 2023 to August 2025.
How the Fraud Unfolded
Pradhan was entrusted with overseeing the Nizarat Section of the Sub-Collector's Office at Chhatrapur — a role that included maintaining government funds and the Red Cross Fund. According to officials, he issued official receipt books and collected ₹8,63,200 towards the Red Cross Fund over the period under scrutiny.
Instead of depositing the collected amount into the designated account at the State Bank of India (SBI)'s Chhatrapur branch, Pradhan allegedly diverted the entire sum for personal use. The non-deposition of funds triggered an inquiry by the anti-corruption agency, which eventually led to his arrest.
Legal Action and Court Proceedings
A case was formally registered against Pradhan at the Brahmapur Vigilance Police Station on 31 October under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, and Section 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Following his arrest, he was produced before the court of the Special Vigilance Judge in Brahmapur. Authorities confirmed that further investigation remains underway.
Notably, Pradhan is currently posted at the Tahsil Office in Surada in the same district, having moved from the Chhatrapur office where the alleged misappropriation occurred.
Broader Crackdown on Corruption in Odisha
This arrest is part of a sustained anti-corruption drive by Odisha Vigilance. Between 12 June 2024 and 26 October 2026, the agency registered 516 criminal cases on various corruption charges and arrested 537 government officials and others.
During this period, the Vigilance directorate registered 144 misappropriation cases against 371 persons — including 34 Class-I and 39 Class-II officers — for allegedly embezzling public money totalling ₹76.96 crore. The Pradhan case adds to a pattern of mid-level government functionaries exploiting custody of public funds.
What Happens Next
With Pradhan now in judicial custody and the case before the Special Vigilance Judge, investigators are expected to examine whether others in the Nizarat Section were complicit or whether systemic oversight failures allowed the misappropriation to continue for nearly two years without detection.
Point of View
Not aberrational. Odisha's anti-corruption machinery appears active, but the sheer volume of cases also indicates that preventive controls — the systems that should stop embezzlement before it starts — remain weak at the district and sub-district level.
NationPress
2 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sadasiba Pradhan and what is he accused of?
Sadasiba Pradhan is a former Senior Revenue Assistant at the Sub-Collector's Office in Chhatrapur, Ganjam district. He is accused of collecting ₹8,63,200 towards the Red Cross Fund between December 2023 and August 2025 and allegedly diverting the entire amount for personal use instead of depositing it into the designated SBI bank account.
What charges have been filed against Sadasiba Pradhan?
A case was registered against Pradhan on 31 October at the Brahmapur Vigilance Police Station under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, and Section 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. He has been produced before the Special Vigilance Judge in Brahmapur.
How large is Odisha Vigilance's overall crackdown on corruption?
Between 12 June 2024 and 26 October 2026, Odisha Vigilance registered 516 criminal cases and arrested 537 government officials and others. Of these, 144 cases specifically involve misappropriation of public money totalling ₹76.96 crore, implicating 371 persons including senior Class-I and Class-II officers.
Why was the misappropriation not caught earlier?
According to the Odisha Vigilance statement, the inquiry was initiated following specific allegations of financial irregularities related to the non-deposition of funds in the Nizarat Section. The misappropriation reportedly went undetected from December 2023 to August 2025, suggesting gaps in internal audit and oversight at the sub-collector office level.
What is the Red Cross Fund in this context?
The Red Cross Fund referenced here is a government-managed collection handled through the Nizarat Section of the Sub-Collector's Office, meant to be deposited into a designated bank account. Nizarat Sections in sub-collector offices are responsible for maintaining and disbursing government funds; Pradhan was the official entrusted with this responsibility in Chhatrapur.
