Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: In a major crackdown on alleged corruption in the health sector, Odisha Vigilance on Wednesday intercepted an associate professor of SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, on charges of possessing unaccounted cash linked to illegal collections. Acting on credible information about the collection of illegal money from bidders supplying medical instruments to the Hepatology Department, a Vigilance team intercepted Dr Sanatana Behera on January 29, 2026.
Dr Behera, an Associate Professor in the Department of Hepatology, was stopped at Kathagolasahi–Medical Road in Cuttack while he was on his way to his government residential quarters. He was travelling on a Hero Honda Activa scooter bearing registration number OD-05-BS-7309. During the interception, Vigilance officials recovered suspected ill-gotten cash amounting to ₹2,63,000 from his possession.
As Dr Behera failed to satisfactorily explain the source of the money, the entire amount was seized by the Vigilance team. Following the interception, simultaneous searches were launched at three locations linked to him from a disproportionate assets angle.
He is currently being examined to ascertain the source of the seized funds. In this connection, Cuttack Vigilance Police Station Case No. 4/2026 has been registered against Dr Behera under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018. Further investigation is underway.
About the Author
