Odisha forester found in possession of 1 kg gold, plots, buildings during Vigilance raid

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance officials on Friday carried out raids at multiple locations linked to Niranjan Satapathy, a forester posted in the Koraput Forest Division, following allegations that he had assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

The anti-corruption agency, during the raids, unearthed gold weighing around 1 kg, plots, and buildings possessed by him.

Background of the officer

Satapathy joined government service on January 25, 1988, as a forest guard under the Koraput Forest Division. His initial monthly salary at the time of appointment was Rs 625, according to Vigilance officials.

Buildings and plots detected

During the searches, the Vigilance team detected several immovable properties in the name of Satapathy and his family members. These include two triple-storeyed buildings at Jharpada in Bhubaneswar and one building at Similiguda in the Koraput district.

Officials also found seven high-value plots, including two in prime areas of Bhubaneswar, four in Jagatsinghpur town and one at Similiguda in Koraput. The exact value of these properties is being assessed by the Vigilance Technical Wing.

Gold, cash and vehicles unearthed

The searches led to the recovery of around one kilogram of gold, cash amounting to about Rs 8.70 lakh and some foreign currencies. Vigilance officials also found bank and postal deposits along with other investments.

In addition, Satapathy was found to be in possession of a four-wheeler (Tata Harrier) and 3 two-wheelers.

Probe still underway

Officials said searches are still continuing, and the total value of movable and immovable assets is yet to be calculated. Further action will be decided after the final assessment of the properties.