The Odisha Vigilance has arrested Bhagabat Bhusan Behera, a forester posted at Bhatangpadar Forest Section under Bhawanipatna Forest Range in Kalahandi district, on charges of possessing disproportionate assets.
The arrest followed simultaneous raids at multiple locations linked to the accused, where officials discovered significant movable and immovable assets. These included a newly constructed multi-storeyed building, nine valuable land plots, and gold ornaments weighing around 470 grams. Bank deposits worth Rs 34.08 lakh were also found.
During the searches, officials also detected several vehicles and heavy machinery suspected to be benami, including Kubota harvesters, tractors, an Ashok Leyland tipper, a BharatBenz Hyva truck, a Bolero, and a Toyota car.
Officials stated that Behera failed to provide satisfactory explanations for the assets. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway to determine the full extent of the wealth and ownership details.
