Vigilance finds properties worth Rs 4cr with SDO

Berhampur: Vigilance sleuths on Thursday found properties worth over Rs four crore from the sub-divisional officer, Daha irrigation sub-division, Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district.The properties include a multi-storey building in Berhampur, five valuable housing plots, a concrete mixture machine worth Rs 57 lakh, a JCB machine worth Rs 37 lakh and cash around Rs 18.9 lakh (Rs 15.13 lakh from residential house at Berhampur and Rs 3.72 lakh from govt quarter) in the possession of Panchu Behera, SDO, Daha irrigation, sources said.They also found bank deposits, insurances worth around Rs 90 lakh, household articles worth Rs 8.57 lakh, gold ornaments and coins weighing around 568 gram, including 178 grams of gold coins worth around Rs 60 lakh.

They have also found a four-wheeler and three two-wheelers in his possession, sources said .The value of his house and housing plots is being calculated, sources said.Vigilance sleuths unearthed these properties of Behera during the search of his houses at different places, including the govt quarter and office chamber at Bhanjanagar. His houses at Basant Bihar in Berhampur, parental house at Polasara, house of his relatives at Bima Nagar, Berhampur have also been searched.

The search was conducted by three DSPs, seven inspectors and several other supporting staff of the anti-corruption agency.His ill-gotten properties would be calculated only after calculation of his entire property found during the search and earnings during his 15-year-long service period, sources said.The 41-year old Behera entered govt service as an assistant engineer (civil) on Sept 27, 2011 with a consolidated remuneration of Rs 9,300 per month. He was deputed to panchayat raj and drinking water department and posted at Koksara block as an assistant engineer (civil) from Oct 15, 2011 to Nov 19, 2015. He was posted as SDO, Daha irrigation, Bhanjanagar, in April, 2022.Before he was posted in Bhanjanagar, he was also working in Dhamnagar in Kalahandi and Chakapad in Kandhamal district.