Bhubaneswar, March 27: The Odisha Vigilance department arrested an assistant engineer from the Water Resources Department on Friday for allegedly accumulating assets worth 334% more than his known sources of income.
The accused, Panchu Behera, is currently posted as the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) in the DAHA Irrigation Sub-Division of the Bhubaneshwar Irrigation Division in Ganjam district.
He was presented before the Special Vigilance Judge in Berhampur, who remanded him to judicial custody on the same day.
On Thursday, officials from the Vigilance department conducted simultaneous searches at multiple locations linked to Behera after receiving complaints regarding his disproportionate assets. The searches uncovered properties worth crores, including ₹18.90 lakh in cash.
The raids took place at five locations in the district, including Behera’s government quarter and office in Bhubaneshwar, a relative’s house in Berhampur, and his ancestral home in Polasara.
Five teams from the Odisha Vigilance department, led by three Deputy Superintendents of Police and seven inspectors, executed the operation based on a search warrant issued by the Special Vigilance Judge in Berhampur.
During the searches, officials discovered a multi-story building, five plots of land in various areas of Berhampur, and cash amounting to ₹18,90,800 (₹15.13 lakh from the Berhampur residence and ₹3,72,800 from the government quarter in Bhubaneshwar).
They also seized gold jewelry weighing 568 grams, including 178 grams in gold coins, and found approximately ₹90 lakh deposited in bank, post office, and insurance accounts.
Additionally, Behera owned a Ajax Argo 4300 concrete mixer machine purchased for ₹57 lakh in 2024, a Hyundai excavator bought for ₹37 lakh in 2025, a four-wheeler, three two-wheelers, and household items valued at around ₹8.57 lakh.
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S.C.H.
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