EOW probe / Odisha: Former Rajya Sabha MP faces EOW heat in Rayagada Truck Owners’ Association case

Bhubaneswar, Nov 6: The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Odisha Police on Friday started searches at 11 places connected to former Rajya Sabha member N. Bhaskar Rao and others in Bhubaneswar and Rayagada district in connection to alleged large-scale financial irregularities and misappropriation of funds involving the Rayagada Truck Owners’ Association, officials said.

Multi-Location Searches

A total of eight teams from the EOW are taking part in the search operations at places, including the homes of Bhaskar Rao, B. Manmadha Rao and G. Krishna at Raniguda Farm, Pitala street and Rayat colony in Rayagada, the office of the Rayagada Truck Owners’ Association on the main road in Rayagada and Aditya Industries Pvt Ltd in the Forest Park area in Bhubaneswar among other places.

Investigation Underway

The EOW is carrying out the searches as part of an investigation into Case (15/26) dated September 22 under sections 406 403 417 420 384 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the EOW the case is about scale financial problems, criminal misuse of money, blackmail and criminal threats involving the leaders of a Truck Owners’ Association in Rayagada.

Alleged Collections Since 2005

The EOW said in a statement that the main person accused, with other leaders had been taking money from truck owners since 2005 under different names claiming it was for funding Naxalite activities.

“The money collected is said to be very large and without records or giving receipts. It is also claimed that the stolen money was used for private businesses, including logistics, trading, mining and real estate companies " the EOW said.
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At the time the EOW investigators have been looking into allegations of financial problems and fraud involving nearly Rs 80 crore by the leaders of the Truck Owners’ Association in Rayagada.

The problems are thought to have happened over a time leading to doubts, about how the money collected from truck owners was handled and how the associations financial activities were managed. The EOW has increased the investigation into the fraud case. Has collected several pieces of evidence during the searches so far.