Cuttack: Berhampur divisional forest officer (DFO) Asish Behera was arrested Sunday on charges of amassing disproportionate assets to a tune of Rs 1.60 crore, a senior Vigilance official said.
Behera has been sent to judicial custody after his bail application was turned down by the Special Vigilance Court in Bhubaneswar, the official added.
According to the case details, the sleuths of the anti-corruption wing of the state police have carried out simultaneous raids at seven places, including Behera’s residence and office, on the allegations of amassing disproportionate assets (DA) to his known sources of income July 19.
During the raids, the Vigilance sleuths claimed to have traced Behera’s movable and immovable assets to a tune of Rs 2,19, 37, 165. “The property include a Rs 63, 67, 500 worth apartment in the state capital of Bhubaneswar, four plots at Bhubaneswar, Berhampur and Bhanjanagar amounting to Rs 68, 50,000, Insurance bonds worth Rs 45, 44, 405 and Rs 9, 35,000 worth deposits in banks and post office,” the official pointed out, adding that they also traced a four-wheeler worth Rs 6,50,700 and a scooter worth Rs 50,000 belonging to the DFO.
The sleuths also found gold and silver ornaments worth Rs 12,98,640 and Rs 82,000 in cash and household items worth Rs 11, 58, 841 during the searches.
“We traced Rs 2,19, 37, 165 worth movable and immovable assets belonging to Behera. However, he could not give satisfactory accounts for Rs 1.60 crore—disproportionate assets. Accordingly, the DFO has been placed under arrest on the basis of a case (8/2019) registered with the vigilance cell,” a senior Vigilance official said.
