Rs 6.97 crore DA possessed by Odisha ex-constable Prasanna Behera, kin: Vigilance

Bhubaneswar: Dismissed Odisha Police constable Prasanna Kumar Behera and his family members have been found in possession of assets disproportionate to their known sources of income of Rs 6.97 crore, the Vigilance said today.

The disproportionate assets (DA) constitute 221% of their known sources of income, the agency said.

The anti-corruption agency has registered case against Behera and his wife in this connection.

“On the allegation of possession of assets disproportionate to the known sources of income by Prasanna Kumar Behera, Ex-Constable, Police Commissionerate, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, simultaneous house searches were conducted at 5 places i.e. 1) Govt. residential quarter at Kalpana Square, Bhubaneswar, 2) Spark furniture Pvt. Ltd. at Dumduma, Bhubaneswar, 3) Furniture Workshop at Santha Vihar, Lingipur, Bhubaneswar, 4) South City Bar at Patrapada, Bhubaneswar, and 5) double storeyed building at his native village Nuapada, Khordha on 28.10.2021 by 5 teams of Odisha Vigilance on the strength of Search Warrants issued by the Hon’ble Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Bhubaneswar,” the Vigilance said in a release.

“After thorough search, inventory and further enquiry, the income, expenditure and assets of Prasanna Kumar Behera and his family members were calculated and they were found in possession of assets disproportionate to the known sources of income to the tune of Rs.6,97,15,057/- (Rupees Six Crore Ninety-seven Lakh Fifteen Thousand Fifty-seven) which constitutes 221% of their known sources of income,” the release said.

“As Prasanna Kumar Behera and his family members were found in possession of disproportionate assets, which they could not account for satisfactorily, Bhubaneswar Vigilance P.S. Case No.32 dt.30.10.2021 was registered against Prasanna Kumar Behera and his spouse and family members U/s 13(2) r/w 13(1)(b)/12 PC Act, 1988 as amended by Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018,” the release added.

Notably, Bhubaneswar DCP had on October 24 dismissed Behera from the Odisha Police with immediate effect. A day before, Behera was arrested.

Earlier, he was suspended for allegedly running a bar at Hotel South City in Patrapada here, illegally. The offence came to fore after the murder of Manish Anurag, son of senior journalist Navin Das.

Manish had visited the bar late night on October 9. He was allegedly murdered by his friends, following an altercation with them over payment of bill at the bar. The next day, his body was found floating in a village pond in the locality.

During investigation of the murder case, police found that the license of the bar had expired. Besides, the bar had violated COVID-19 guidelines of the state government by functioning during night curfew in the city.

Behera was the President of Havildar & Constable Association.