Bhubaneswar, Nov 6 (IANS) The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Odisha Police on Friday launched simultaneous searches at 11 locations linked to former Rajya Sabha member Bhaskar Rao Nekkanti and others in Bhubaneswar and Rayagada district.
As many as eight teams of EOW are involved in the search operations at premises, including the residential houses of Bhaskar Rao, B. Manmadha Rao and G. Krishna at Raniguda Farm, Pitala street and Rayat colony in Rayagada, respectively, the office of the Rayagada Truck Owners’ Association at the main road in Rayagada, Aditya Industries Pvt Ltd at Forest Park area in Bhubaneswar, etc.
The search operations are being carried out by the EOW in connection with the investigation of Case (15/26) on September 22 under sections 406, 403, 417, 420, 384, 506, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
According to the EOW, the case relates to large-scale financial irregularities, criminal misappropriation of funds, extortion and criminal intimidation involving the office-bearers of a Truck Owners’ Association in Rayagada.
The EOW further noted in a statement that the principal accused, in connivance with other office-bearers, had been collecting money from truck owners since 2005 under different heads, purportedly including contributions for funding Naxalite activities.
“The collections are estimated to have amounted to be huge and without proper accounting or issuance of receipts. It is further alleged that the misappropriated funds were diverted to various private business ventures, including logistics, trading, mining and real estate companies,” EOW added.
Meanwhile, the EOW sleuths have reportedly been investigating allegations of financial irregularities and fraud involving nearly Rs 80 crore by the office-bearers of the Truck Owners’ Association, Rayagada.
The alleged irregularities are suspected to have taken place over a period of time, raising questions about the handling of funds collected from truck owners and the association’s financial transactions. The EOW has intensified the probe into the fraud case and allegedly collected various incriminating documents during the searches so far.
–IANS
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