Anti-corruption vigilance officials detect Rs 60 lakh in cash, gold in possession of Odisha IFS officer

Bhubaneswar: The anti-corruption vigilance sleuths have detected Rs 60 lakh cash, gold ornaments weighing 800 gm, documents relating to purchase of gold, costly vehicles and huge money deposits in possession of Odisha cadre IFS officer Abhay Kant Pathak, an official release said. The anti-corruption wing of the Odisha Police searched different places on allegation of possession of disproportionate assets by Abhay Kant Pathak, Indian Forest Service, posted as Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Plan, Programme and Afforestation. Simultaneous searches were conducted at five places in Bhubaneswar, seven places at Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra and one place in Bihar by officers of Vigilance Cell Division on 25 and 26 November on the strength of search warrants issued by the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Bhubaneswar. Around 150 officers and staff from different divisions of Odisha Vigilance and witnesses were mobilized for the search operations. Besides, simultaneous verifications at other places were made at Bhubaneswar, Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra and Udaipur in Rajasthan, which are still continuing, an official said. “During the course of house search and subsequent enquiry, till now, cash of about Rs 60 lakh have been found. Besides, costly household articles and gold ornaments weighing 800 gm have been found during the search. Further documents relating to purchase of gold ornaments worth Rs 23 lakh have also been found,” the official note said. It has also been ascertained that cash deposits of about Rs 9.4 crore have been made in the bank accounts of his son, of which about Rs 8.4 crore has been deposited at Bhubaneswar, it said, adding that the huge money deposits have been mostly made through ATMs at Saheed Nagar and Nayapalli in Bhubaneswar. Costly vehicles like Mercedes, BMW and Tata Harrier and three costly Yamaha FZS motorcycles have been found registered in the name of his son, who has also been hiring costly vehicles on rent, it said. “At the time of search at Pune, three vehicles including two Mercedes were found to have been taken on hire by him (son). So far, vehicle hiring charges to the tune of Rs 25 lakh approximately has been ascertained. Similarly, more than Rs 1 crore has been paid towards house rent of the luxury flats and the farmhouse. Hotel bills of more than 90 lakh at Mumbai and advance booking amount of Rs 20 lakh at Udaipur hotel in Rajasthan have also been paid,” the release said. The foreign travel details of tours to Malaysia, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Maldives and other places have been obtained, it said, adding that Charter flight bills worth nearly Rs 3 crores involving travel from and to cities like Pune, Bhubaneswar, Patna, Juhu, Mumbai, Jamshedpur, Delhi and others have also been ascertained. Teams consisting of Chartered Accountant, Bank Officer and officers of Cyber Cell and Document Examination Cell are assisting in the house search and verification operations, it said. Pathak was not available for comment.