Odisha Vigilance arrested Assistant Engineer Panchu Behera for possessing disproportionate assets in Ganjam district.
Vigilance Raids Expose Assets
Officials placed Panchu Behera, posted as SDO at Daha Irrigation Sub-Division under Bhanjanagar Irrigation Division, under arrest after raids revealed assets far beyond his known income. Searches uncovered a multi-storeyed building in Berhampur, five valuable plots, Rs 18.90 lakh in cash, deposits worth Rs 90 lakh, 568 grams of gold, and heavy construction machinery, including an Ajax Argo 4300 concrete mixer valued at Rs 57 lakh and a Hyundai excavator worth Rs 37 lakh.
Investigators confirmed that Behera failed to provide satisfactory explanations for these holdings. The Vigilance team registered Berhampur Vigilance PS case No. 03/2026 under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018.
Court Proceedings to Follow
Authorities will forward Behera to the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Berhampur. The arrest highlights Odisha Vigilance’s ongoing crackdown on corruption and disproportionate assets among government officials.
The case has drawn public attention, reinforcing calls for stricter monitoring of officials and transparency in public service. Vigilance officials continue to assess the full extent of Behera’s assets and financial dealings.
