Odisha Mining Officer Arrested For Amassing 500% More Assets Than Income Source

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Vigilance on Tuesday arrested Deputy Director of Mines, Talcher, Dharanidhar Nayak for allegedly accumulating disproportionate assets (DA) to the tune of 500 per cent more than his known sources of income.

“He was arrested for not being able to explain satisfactorily for possessing DA worth about Rs 5 crore,” the anti-graft wing of Odisha police said in a statement.

Nayak was found in possession of 2 multi-storey buildings, a 3-BHK flat worth Rs 1.30 crore and a duplex over 1800 sqft area in Bhubaneswar, two market complexes with 19 shops, 11 plots, deposits to the tune of Rs 53.53 lakh, household articles worth Rs 54.70 lakh, over Rs.9.85 lakh in cash, during simultaneous searches at eight locations in Angul, Keonjhar and Khurda districts on Monday.

He had also taken a loan of Rs 75 lakh in 2022 and it was suspected that the repayment over 2 years was made from his ill-gotten money.

A case has been registered again him and his spouse under Sections 13(2)r/w13(1)(b)/12 of PC (Amendment) Act, 2018, and further investigation is underway, it added.

Assets unearthed in the name of Nayak and his family members are as follows:

1. A 3-BHK flat on 2nd floor of Surekha Orchid at Sisu Vihar, Patia, Bhubaneswar, worth around Rs 1.30 crore.

2. A duplex over 1800 sqft area at Sundarpada, Bhubaneswar.

3. A double-storey market complex consisting of 15 shops (9 shops on the ground floor and 6 shops on the 1st floor) at Badinali Sinkulabahal, Jagmohanpur, Telkoi, Keonjhar.

4. Another market complex building consisting of four shops adjacent to it at Jagmohanpur, Telkoi, Keonjhar.

5. A double-storey building under construction near market complex at Badinali Sinkulabahal, Jagmohanpur,Telkoi, Keonjhar.

6. 11 plots, including three in prime areas of Bhubaneswar.

7. Cash of Rs 9,83,800 (Rs.5,58,800 from Patia flat and Rs 4,25,000 from his residence at Talcher).

8. Bank and insurance deposits of Rs 53.53 lakh

9. Loan of Rs 75 lakh taken in 2022 repaid back in 2 years from suspected ill-gotten money.

10. One four-wheeler (TATA Punch) and 2 two-wheelers

11. Household articles worth Rs 54.70 lakh

Nayak joined government service in 2014 and was posted as mining officer at Koraput. After about seven years, he was transferred to Talcher as mining officer in 2021. He was promoted to the rank of deputy director in 2022 and continued there.