Bhubaneswar, July 9: The Odisha Vigilance on Thursday arrested Rabindra Kumar Nayak, Forest Ranger of the Kendrapada Forest Range, on charges of allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. The action came after extensive searches at multiple properties linked to the officer, during which investigators detected substantial movable and immovable assets.
According to the Vigilance Department, Nayak was taken into custody after he failed to provide satisfactory explanations regarding the assets found during the raids. He is scheduled to be produced before the Court of the Special Vigilance Judge in Cuttack.
During the searches, Vigilance officials unearthed a palatial four-storeyed residential building measuring approximately 7,038 square feet, another residential building, six high-value plots, 283 grams of gold ornaments, cash worth Rs. 2.14 lakh, bank deposits amounting to nearly Rs. 76 lakh, and one four-wheeler. Officials are verifying the ownership, valuation and source of these assets as part of the investigation.
The Vigilance Department suspects that the recovered assets are disproportionate to Nayak’s known lawful sources of income. Financial records, property documents and other relevant materials seized during the searches are being examined to ascertain the extent of the alleged irregularities.
Following the raids, a case was registered against the Forest Ranger at Kataka Vigilance Police Station under Case No. 25/2026, invoking the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018.
Officials said the investigation is continuing and further inquiries will focus on tracing the acquisition of the assets, identifying any additional investments or properties and determining whether any other individuals were involved. The Vigilance Department has indicated that appropriate legal action will be taken based on the findings of the ongoing probe.
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