The mastermind who embezzled Rs 6 lakh 67 lakh from the Forest Department has been arrested. The Deputy Forest Divisional Officer lodged a report on 31.03.23 on the basis of a written complaint that on 26.05.2011, an MoU (contract) was signed between the accused Dr. Manoj Soni, President of Haritima Paryavaran Sanrakshan Seva Samiti and the Divisional Forest Officer, Dhamtari, for the establishment of a battle camp under the implementation of the livestock management plan in the North Singpur region under the Dhamtari Forest Division. The total amount of the contract was Rs 66.67 lakh, in which correspondence was also done with the accused for starting the work and according to the MoU (contract), a cheque of 10 percent of the total amount of the project, Rs 6 lakh 67 thousand, was given as advance by cheque in the Union Bank account of the Divisional Forest Officer, Dhamtari. Forest Department
The accused did not start any work even after withdrawing the said amount from his Bank of Baroda Raipur branch account and receiving it, nor did he inform the Forest Officer. Despite the Forest Officer Dhamtari writing several times to the office and asking the accused President Haritima Paryavaran Sanrakshan Seva Samiti to return the advance amount, the advance amount received by the accused was not deposited in the account of Forest Division Dhamtari and the Accountant General (CG) Raipur raised an audit objection and the account of the said government amount could not be adjusted.
The accused received a total government amount of Rs. 6 lakh 67 thousand and embezzled the government amount by using it himself without doing any work, broke the trust with the government forest department and committed the crime of fraudulently cheating a large amount and causing financial loss. Hence, a case was registered in City Kotwali Police Station under FIR No. 97/23 under Sections 420,406,409 IPC. Under the crime was registered and investigation was taken up.
During the investigation, the correspondence between the accused and the Divisional Forest Officer, Dhamtari, information about bank transactions and other documents related to the case were seized and statements of the applicant and witnesses were taken and the accused Manoj Soni, father Devi Prasad Soni, age 54 years, resident of house no. 511, road no. 04, near Smriti Nagar police station, Bhilai police station, Smriti Nagar district Durg (CG), President, Haritima Environment Protection Service Committee, Team Leader, was found to have committed the crime, hence, he is being formally arrested from his house today by the Dhamtari Police Team and sent on judicial remand.
Name of the accused
Manoj Soni, father Devi Prasad Soni, age 54 years, resident of house no. 511, road no. 04, near Smriti Nagar police station, Bhilai police station, Smriti Nagar district Durg (CG)
