Keonjhar: The Odisha Vigilance on Wednesday arrested Panchayat Extension Officer (PEO) of Bancho under Hatadihi block in Keonjhar, Jitendra Kumar Jena, on charges of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The simultaneous searches carried out on Tuesday had revealed that Jena allegedly owned a triple-storey building, a double-storey market complex worth over Rs 1.34 crore, six plots, approximately 100 grams of gold jewellery, bank deposits worth Rs 34.06 lakh and a four-wheeler. Two rented godowns and an electronics shop named “Saraswati Sales,” registered in his wife’s name, were also detected during the raids at six locations by teams, comprising DSPs and inspectors, on the strength of search warrants issued by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Keonjhar.
Jena has been working in Hatadihi block of Keonjhar for the last 3 decades. He joined as Secretary, Hadgarh GP, on August 12, 1995, at a consolidated monthly salary of Rs 2,200. He was promoted to the rank of PEO in 2009 and posted at Samana GP, Hatadihi block. He worked as PEO of Samana, Dhenka, and K Belpal GPs under Hatadihi Block till July 2024, when he was posted as PEO, Bancho GP.