Sambalpur: Vigilance sleuths Saturday arrested an assistant conservator of forests (ACF) of Hirakud wildlife division for possession of assets beyond his known sources of income. These assets include three buildings, four flats, seven plots, and Rs 14.71 lakh cash, discovered during raids on his properties.
The ACF, Rebati Raman Joshi, could not provide satisfactory answers to vigilance officials regarding his substantial assets on Friday. "ACF was arrested for possession of disproportionate assets (DA) to the tune of 164% of his known sources of income, which he could not account for satisfactorily," reads a release from the vigilance officials.
Officials of the anti-graft agency stated that, acting on allegations of the ACF amassing disproportionate assets to his known sources of income, simultaneous searches were conducted at nine locations linked to Joshi.
Three DSPs, 10 inspectors, and other support staff carried out the raids in Sambalpur and Bargarh districts after search warrants were issued by the special vigilance judge.
Vigilance officials unearthed assets, including a three-storey building at Ainthapali, a commercial building at Malipali in Sambalpur, another building at Padmapur in Bargarh, a flat at Ghatikia in Bhubaneswar, a 3-BHK flat at Farm Road, two 2-BHK flats near Church Chowk, and seven plots in prime locations of Sambalpur and Bargarh. Three buildings in Sambalpur, including a triple-storeyed building worth Rs 1.80 crores. He has 10 plots in prime locations of Sambalpur and six in the Padampur area of Bargarh district. Bank and insurance deposits over Rs 31 lakh. The officials also seized Rs 14.71 lakh cash, besides gold jewellery weighing 150 gm and silver ornaments of 300 gm.
The measurement and valuation of the plots are being carried out by the technical wing of vigilance. Bank, insurance, and postal deposits, besides other investments, are being ascertained. Further search is underway, said the officials.
But ACF Joshi said, "The assets were bought from my own hard-earned money. Some other assets are my ancestral property. All monetary transactions have been done through cheques."