Odisha Vigilance recently discovered assets worth crores, with Rs 18.90 lakh in cash, during searches at various locations linked to an Assistant Engineer of the Water Resources Department. The accused, Panchu Behera, currently serves as a Sub-Divisional Officer in Ganjam district. Searches were conducted at five locations, including his residence, official quarters, and ancestral home.
Multiple teams of Odisha Vigilance, comprising Deputy Superintendents of Police, Inspectors, and support staff, conducted the searches based on court-issued warrants. The searches revealed that Behera and his family owned a multi-storeyed building, land plots, and significant cash holdings.
Apart from the cash, officials found gold ornaments, deposits in various accounts totaling around Rs 90 lakh, and expensive assets like a concrete mixer machine and excavator. Behera also possessed vehicles, two-wheelers, and household items. More assets are expected to be uncovered, with the valuation likely to rise.
In a separate incident, vigilance officials recovered a substantial amount of cash from another government official, Ambika Prasad Rath, during a bribery raid.
