BHUBANESWAR: The state vigilance sleuths on Tuesday detected Rs 5.29 crore more in the accounts of Akash Pathak, son of senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Abhay Kant Pathak, taking his total bank deposits to a staggering Rs 14.77 crore so far.
Earlier on November 26, the vigilance sleuths had found Rs 9.48 crore balance in Akash’s three accounts in Bhubaneswar and Pune.
In a fresh trouble for Pathak and his son, the Kharavel Nagar police here registered a case against the duo for allegedly duping a travel agency of Rs 65.16 lakh. “Akash had booked chartered flights and hotels worth Rs 2.78 crore since June. The father-son duo reportedly paid nearly Rs 2.13 crore and refused to clear the pending dues,” a police officer said.
Abhay Kant and Akash are currently in judicial custody following their arrests on November 27 for allegedly amassing Rs 9.3 crore disproportionate assets.
“We had earlier seized about Rs 60 lakh in cash following raids on Akash’s properties at different places. The analysis of the statements of his three bank accounts in Bhubaneswar and Pune showed cash deposits of Rs 9.48 crore and deposits through transfer/cheque clearings of Rs 5.29 crore, totalling Rs 14.77 crore,” a vigilance official said.
The vigilance officials have also begun a mammoth exercise of appraising the 1987-batch IFS officer’s service record, spanning over 30 years. Simultaneous searches were conducted at the offices of his previous postings in Sundargarh, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Angul, Balangir, Boudh and Koraput. Search was also conducted at the office of his current posting as the additional principal chief conservator of forests (plan, programme & afforestation) in Bhubaneswar. Pathak is currently under suspension following his arrest.
“We also checked the documents at some travel agencies where he had booked air tickets, chartered flights and hotels. His driver, from whom we had seized a large amount of cash earlier, was also questioned. Our special investigation team (SIT) is on the job of finding out the source of his ill-gotten properties. We want to know if he abused his previous positions and accumulated the unaccounted wealth through corrupt practices,” the vigilance official said.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJD on Tuesday explained the alleged anti-people charges against Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahy, who was expelled from the party on Sunday for his suspected links with the Pathak father-son duo. The BJD also for the first time openly accused Panigrahy of having a nexus with Abhay Kant and Akash.
While the Covid-19 situation was alarming in Ganjam district, Panigrahy and his family were enjoying themselves in a luxury hotel in Delhi by splurging Rs 2.5 lakh every day. “The money he spent for his luxury belonged to several jobless persons, who had given their hard-earned money to Akash Pathak to get employment in Tata Motors,” BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said.
Mohanty said Akash impersonated a senior Tata Motors employee and collected lakhs of rupees from the youths of Ganjam to give them jobs in the company. “The company has already disowned Akash and lodged complaint with the Crime Branch. Panigrahy supported Akash’s illegal activities. Doesn’t this amount to Panigrahy’s anti-people activity?” asked Mohanty.
However, Panigrahy denied the charges and said the government wanted to frame him in false cases. “The police have been forcing some persons to lodge false complaints against me. I admit I have travelled by chartered flights. Abhay Pathak is my relative and my daughter is set to marry his son. But I have not been involved in any corruption and anti-people activities,” Panigrahy said.