Baliguda: Odisha Vigilance Saturday launched simultaneous searches at nine locations linked to Baikuntha Nath Behera, assistant executive engineer of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Baliguda, over allegations of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The searches are being conducted in Bhubaneswar, Baliguda, Baripada and Jajpur district on the strength of warrants issued by the Special Vigilance Court in Bhubaneswar.
During raids, Vigilance officials traced multiple residential properties, including a four-storey building in Niladri Vihar, three-storey house in Sailashree Vihar, a two-storey house in Kanan Vihar Phase-I, Patia, and another two-storey building in Chandrasekharpur, all in Bhubaneswar.
A two-storey house built on ancestral land at Pandua village near Dharmasala College in Jajpur district was also detected during searches.
Raids were also underway at houses of relatives in Deula Sahi of Baripada and Pandua village in Jajpur district, Behera’s office at ITDA in Baliguda and his official residence near office.
A multi-tier Vigilance team comprising two additional superintendents of police, five deputy superintendents of police, six inspectors and other officials is conducting the operation.
Officials said documents related to movable and immovable assets, bank deposits, investments and other financial transactions were being examined.
Vigilance has not yet disclosed the total value of assets detected, as the investigation is still in progress.