In a major crackdown on corrupt officials in the state, the Odisha Vigilance Department unearthed significant disproportionate assets (DA) during simultaneous raids on an Additional Tahasildar and a Panchayat Extension Officer (PEO).
Odisha Vigilance raids Additional Tahasildar
The anti-corruption sleuths today conducted simultaneous searches at four locations linked to Jitendra Kumar Panda, Additional Tehsildar of Baranga tehsil in Cuttack district.
The Vigilance officials has detected several assets, including Rs 75 lakh cash, three buildings, a flat, and four high-value plots from the possession of the additional tahasildar, an officer said.
Acting on the allegation of possession of disproportionate assets (DA) to the known sources of income, the Vigilance officers launched raids on the properties Panda this morning.
So far, two triple-storeyed buildings and a flat in Bhubaneswar, one double-storeyed building in Khurda, 4 high-value plots, including three in posh area of Bhubaneswar and one in Khordha town, Rs 75 lakh cash, 100 gram gold, and a car were found during the raids, the vigilance officer said, adding that searches are underway.
In 1997, Panda jointed as senior laboratory assistant on transfer in Odisha Biological Product Institution in Bhubaneswar. In 2020, he was promoted to the rank of ORS and joined as TRO under District Sub-Registrar in Bhubaneswar.
Then from 2021 to 2023, he worked as additional Tahsildar, Puri’s Pipili and as Sub-Registrar in Pipili. Later in 2023 only, he was posted as Additional Tahasildar in Barang.
The revenue officer joined government service in 1995 as a senior laboratory assistant in the office of director of animal husbandry and veterinary services in Cuttack, on a rehabilitation scheme with a monthly initial salary of Rs 2,000, he said.
Vigilance raids on PEO
Similarly, the anti-corruption officers conducted raids on the properties linked panchayat extension officer (PEO) at six places in Keonjhar district.
On the allegation of possession of disproportionate assets (DA) by Jitendra Kumar Jena, PEO at Bancho gram panchayat under Hatadihi block in Keonjhar district, a team of Odisha Vigilance led by four DSPs, 8 inspectors, and other supporting staff on the strength of search warrants issued by Special Judge, Keonjhar Vigilance, conducted raids at six places in Keonjhar district.
Raids were conducted at his residential triple storied building at Biranchipur in Hatadihi, newly constructed double storeyed market complex at Jagannathpur mouza in Basantia Bazar, two rented godown of Maa Saraswati Sales, at Basantia Bazar, his electronics shop ‘Saraswati Sales’ at Bidyadharpur, his paternal house at Padhiaripalli village in Hatadihi and his office at Bancho gram panchayat.
The Vigilance also unearthed six plots, three in Chandia, Biranchipur and Hatadihi and three in Jagannathpur mouza, Basantia Bazar, Hatadihi, Keonjhar. The sleuths also recovered approximately 100 grams of gold, one four wheeler and two two-wheelers from his possession.
