Odisha Vigilance Unearths Crores in Assets from ITDA Engineer
In one of the largest anti‑corruption operations in recent times, the Odisha Vigilance Directorate has uncovered assets worth several crores belonging to Baikuntha Nath Behera, Assistant Executive Engineer at ITDA Baliguda, Kandhamal.
Nine teams of Vigilance officials, armed with search warrants from the Special Judge, Bhubaneswar, raided Behera’s properties across Bhubaneswar, Jajpur, and Baripada.
The raids revealed five multi‑storeyed buildings, including four palatial houses in Bhubaneswar and one in Jajpur, along with 14 high‑value plots.
Officials seized Rs 2.04 crore in cash, 341 grams of gold jewellery, and bank deposits worth Rs 45 lakh. Behera, who joined government service in 1999 with a salary of Rs 6,000, was promoted to Assistant Executive Engineer in February 2026.
The Vigilance Directorate is now questioning Behera to trace the source of his disproportionate wealth. Authorities believe more assets may surface as investigations continue.
The case underscores Odisha’s intensified crackdown on corruption among public servants.
