Bhubaneswar, August 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Odisha Vigilance on Monday conducted simultaneous searches at six locations linked to a Revenue Department official who was arrested earlier this month for allegedly misappropriating more than Rs 3 crore in government funds.
The searches target properties associated with Bhanja Kishore Behera, a former Senior Revenue Assistant (SRA) at Tirtol Block in Jagatsinghpur district, who is currently posted at Naugaon Tahasil. Behera was arrested on August 12 in connection with the alleged misappropriation of Rs 3,02,95,000.
According to Odisha Vigilance, an investigation covering the financial years 2011-12 to 2021-22 uncovered an alleged financial fraud at the Tirtol Block office. Behera is accused of manipulating and fabricating government salary registers and disbursement documents to divert funds.
During interrogation, Vigilance officials said Behera admitted to acquiring assets, including a large residential building, a tent house and other valuables, allegedly using around Rs 2 crore from the misappropriated funds.
Based on information obtained during the interrogation, the agency initiated a separate investigation into allegations of possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The searches covered Behera’s residential buildings and tent house at Patenigaon, his present office at Naugaon Tahasil, his former workplace at Tirtol Block office and the residence of a relative at Sanakorkora village under Raghunathpur police station limits in Jagatsinghpur district.
Vigilance officials have so far detected a triple-storeyed building measuring around 7,750 sq ft, a double-storeyed building and a tent house measuring approximately 8,400 sq ft at Patenigaon.
Assets and articles valued at around Rs 30.44 lakh, purchased in 2019 for operating the tent house, were also found. The searches further led to the detection of 210 grams of gold jewellery and a Mahindra pick-up van.
The Vigilance Technical Wing is assessing the measurements and value of the buildings and tent house. The agency is also examining bank and postal deposits, investments and other assets held by Behera and his family members.
FOLLOW NOW
