Berhampur: Odisha Vigilance has arrested Panchu Behera, Assistant Engineer posted as Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Daha Irrigation Sub-Division in Ganjam district, in connection with a disproportionate assets (DA) case.
Behera, according to an official statement, was taken into custody following extensive searches at multiple locations linked to him, and is being produced before the Court of the Special Judge, Vigilance, Berhampur.
The arrest comes a day after vigilance teams carried out simultaneous raids across five premises associated with the accused, acting on search warrants issued by the court. The operation was conducted by a team comprising senior vigilance officers and personnel.
During the searches, officials uncovered assets allegedly disproportionate to Behera’s known sources of income. These include a multi-storeyed residential building in Berhampur, five valuable plots, cash amounting to ₹18.90 lakh, deposits worth around ₹90 lakh, and gold ornaments weighing 568 grams.
Investigators also detected high-value machinery, including an Ajax Argo 4300 concrete mixer reportedly worth ₹57 lakh and a Hyundai excavator valued at around ₹37 lakh. These assets, officials said, could not be satisfactorily accounted for by the accused.
Earlier, vigilance teams had searched his residence at Basant Vihar in Berhampur, a government quarter in Bhanjanagar, his office chamber, his paternal house in Polasara, and a relative’s residence in Berhampur. Cash recoveries were made from both his residential premises and official quarters.
Authorities have registered a case against Behera under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018, at Berhampur Vigilance Police Station. Officials said further investigation is underway to ascertain the full extent of assets and financial transactions.
Behera had joined government service in 2011 as an Assistant Engineer and served in multiple postings across Odisha before being appointed as SDO in the irrigation division at Bhanjanagar in 2022.
The vigilance department indicated that the probe is continuing, with valuation of assets and scrutiny of financial records still in progress.
