Sambalpur: A Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO) in Bargarh district has been found in possession of properties worth more than Rs 70 lakh during raids by Vigilance sleuths on Thursday.
Following information about possession of assets disproportionate to the known sources of income by Anil Kumar Padhi, PEO, Beherapali panchayat, 3 teams of Sambalpur Vigilance Division conducted simultaneous house searches on his properties at 3 places in Bargarh district.
During the raids, Padhi was found in possession of a double-storey building and 2 plots at Matruvihar, Bargarh, one TATA 709 truck, one tractor, 2 two-wheelers, insurance deposits of over Rs 5.57 lakh, Rs 69.120 in cash and other movable and immovable properties totalling over Rs 70 lakh. Further searches were going on.
In another Vigilance operation on the day, a joint raid was conducted by the Forest wing of Vigilance Directorate and Koraput Vigilance division on a house at Bhaluguda and Ramgiri villages under Gupteswar Forest Range in Koraput district.
During the raid, sawing appliances along with 102 cft of timber worth Rs 3,37,000 were seized. Three forest cases have been registered In this connection and further investigation is on.
