Odisha Vigilance raid on Additional Tahasildar: Rs 75 lakh cash kept in locked house, high-value plots unearthed

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance on Tuesday carried out simultaneous raids at several locations linked to Jitendra Kumar Panda, Additional Tahasildar of Barang in Cuttack district. The action was taken on allegations that the officer possessed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

According to Vigilance officials, Panda entered government service on November 10, 1995, as a Senior Laboratory Assistant in the office of the Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Cuttack. He was appointed under the rehabilitation scheme with an initial monthly salary of Rs 2,000.

Rs 75 lakh cash found in a locked house

During the ongoing house searches, Vigilance teams recovered around Rs 75 lakh in cash. The money was found stashed in a locked house belonging to Panda’s mother-in-law at Brit Colony in the Badagada area of Bhubaneswar. The mother-in-law is bedridden and currently resides with the Additional Tahasildar. Cash counting was still in progress at the time of reporting.

Buildings, flat and high-value plots detected

The raids led to the detection of several immovable properties allegedly linked to Panda and his family members. These include two triple-storeyed buildings in the Badagada area of Bhubaneswar, one double-storeyed building at Sanapalla in Khordha, and a 2 BHK flat at Uttara in Bhubaneswar.

Vigilance officials also found four high-value plots, including three located in posh areas of Bhubaneswar and one in Khordha town.

Locker yet to be opened

Apart from immovable properties, officials recovered Rs 6.20 lakh in cash and around 100 grams of gold jewellery. One bank locker at the State Bank of India in Bhubaneswar is yet to be opened. Details of bank accounts, postal deposits and other investments are also being verified.

The raids further revealed ownership of one four-wheeler, a Kia Seltos, and four two-wheelers.

Valuation process underway

The measurement and valuation of the buildings, flat and plots are being carried out by the Vigilance Technical Wing. Searches were still underway, and the total value of the movable and immovable assets is yet to be calculated, officials said.