Red Cross fund fraud in Cuttack, police begins probe

The district administration had unearthed the fund fraud of nearly Rs 16 lakh was embezzled in a single year

The Red Cross has filed a complaint with the police over alleged fund fraud.

"After receiving a complaint from the honorary secretary of the Cuttack branch of Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) Sanjibita Ray, who is also the District Emergency Officer, we have registered an FIR under section 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) of IPC and started investigation," Lalbagh police station Inspector Debadutta Baral said.

Baral, however, did not explain as to why the named accused in the FIR was not arrested even as the complaint was forwarded to him by the office of the District Collector, who is also chairman of the Cuttack branch of IRCS.

Although, the complaint was filed on January 25, the FIR was registered five days later on January 30.

When contacted, Ray alleged financial irregularities and misappropriation of district Red Cross fund were going on for over two decades now.

"The fraud of Rs 15.64 lakh was detected only for one year. If the accounts of the previous years, particularly after the 1999 super cyclone are audited, this will turn out to be biggest charity fraud ever in the state," she claimed.

The district administration had unearthed the Red Cross fund fraud in which nearly Rs 16 lakh was embezzled in a single year.

In its FIR, the administration has requested the police to take appropriate legal action against a head clerk Sayed Naimul Hossain, who has been placed under suspension since October last.

However, Hossain was not available for comments.