The Odisha vigilance department on Sunday arrested Baikuntha Nath Behera (52), assistant executive engineer of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) at Baliguda in Kandhamal district, for allegedly accumulating assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Search Operations Reveal Extensive Assets
On Saturday, vigilance sleuths conducted searches and discovered five multi-storeyed buildings, 14 high-value plots in Bhubaneswar, approximately Rs 2 crore in his bank locker, around half a kilogram of gold ornaments, and deposits of Rs 45 lakh linked to the government official. Behera could not provide satisfactory explanations for these assets.
Additional Locker Yet to Be Opened
Sources indicated that another bank locker, operated in the name of his spouse, is yet to be opened and is likely to be accessed on Monday. This could increase the total value of assets under scrutiny.
Legal Action Under Prevention of Corruption Act
A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018, has been registered against Behera in the vigilance cell, and further investigation is underway.
Career Background
Behera joined government service on August 16, 1999, as a junior engineer (civil) in Nabarangpur district with a monthly salary of Rs 6,000. On February 12, he was promoted to assistant executive engineer and posted at ITDA, Baliguda in Kandhamal district.
Pattern of Major Cash Seizures
Anti-corruption agency sources noted that Behera is the fifth person from whom they seized cash exceeding Rs 1 crore during a search. The highest-ever cash seizure was over Rs 4.28 crore from Debabrata Mohanty, deputy director of mines (Cuttack circle), on February 25. Other notable seizures include:
- Rs 2.56 crore from Baikuntha Nath Sarangi, chief engineer (plan roads), rural works department, on May 30 last year.
- Rs 2.08 crore from Santnau Mohapatra, deputy director, watershed, Malknagiri, on February 6 last year.
- Rs 1.43 crore from Ram Chandra Nayak, deputy range, Jeypore forest range in Koraput district, on July 25 last year.
- Rs 73.66 lakh from Jitendra Kumar Panda, additional tehsildar, Baranga, Cuttack, on December 30 last year.
