Odisha Vigilance files chargesheet against former IFS officer Abhay Pathak, son Akash

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance today filed a chargesheet against former IFS Officer Abhay Pathak and his son Akash Pathak in a disproportionate assets case registered in 2020.

The 5000-page chargesheet was filed by the anti-graft department in the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Bhubaneswar against Ex-Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Abhay Kant Pathak and his son Akash Kumar Pathak for possession of disproportionate assets (DA) worth over Rs 14 crore.

The chargesheet was filed documenting detailed evidence against the accused father-son duo for abetting the offence, for standing their trial in the court of law.

On November 27, 2020, Odisha Vigilance registered a case under sections 13(2) r/w 13(1) (b) /12 P.C. Act, 1988 as amended by P.C. (Amendment) Act, 2018 for possession of assets disproportionate to the known sources of income by IFS Pathak during his tenure as a public servant.

Pathak was under the scanner of Vigilance following raids at 16 places (7 places in Odisha, 2 places in Bihar, 6 places in Mumbai/Pune, Maharashtra and 1 place in Rajasthan) and seized relevant materials, documents and information relating to assets, income and expenditure.

After completion of investigation, Pathak was found in possession of assets disproportionate to the tune of Rs.14,25,46,901/- (Rupees Fourteen Crores Twenty-five Lakhs Forty-six Thousand Nine Hundred One).

During investigation, more than Rs 10 crore of cash deposits and account transfers of around Rs 5 crore in different bank accounts of Pathak and his son Akash Kumar Pathak were found. Both accused persons failed to provide a satisfactory explanation in this regard.