Sambalpur Excise Fraud: ₹3.67 Crore Scam Exposed, Two Arrested

Sambalpur police have unearthed a massive financial fraud worth Rs 3.67 crore in the Excise Department, leading to the arrest of two officials.

The accused — suspended junior assistant Sandeep Kumar Pattnaik and retired official Sarat Chandra Behera — allegedly manipulated the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) portal to generate fake sanction orders.

Investigators revealed that the fraud spanned from November 2022 to October 2025, with funds siphoned off under the guise of pension and salary arrears.

A retired ASI, Achyuta Dehury, has also been named as a key conspirator.

Police seized Rs 23.46 lakh in cash and froze nearly Rs 44 lakh across multiple bank accounts linked to the accused. To conceal the embezzlement, fabricated bill registers and cash books were created.

Authorities confirmed that the probe is ongoing to trace additional links and identify others involved in the scam. The case has raised serious concerns about financial oversight within government departments.