Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance on Saturday unearthed assets worth several crores of rupees during simultaneous searches conducted at nine locations linked to Baikuntha Nath Behera, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Baliguda in Kandhamal district, on allegations of possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The searches, carried out by nine Vigilance teams comprising two Additional SPs, five DSPs, six Inspectors and other supporting staff, were conducted in Bhubaneswar, Baripada, Dharmasala in Jajpur district and Baliguda on the strength of search warrants issued by the Court of the Special Judge, Vigilance, Bhubaneswar.
According to Vigilance officials, the searches have so far led to the detection of four multi-storeyed residential buildings in Bhubaneswar, a double-storeyed house at Dharmasala in Jajpur district, 14 high-value plots, cash amounting to ₹2.04 crore, bank deposits worth ₹45 lakh and 341 grams of gold.
Among the major assets identified are a four-storeyed building measuring about 10,500 sq ft at Niladri Vihar, Chandrasekharpur; a three-storeyed building at Sailashree Vihar; and two double-storeyed houses at Kanan Vihar and Chandrasekharpur in Bhubaneswar. Another double-storeyed building was found on ancestral land at Pandua near Dharmasala College in Jajpur district.
Vigilance officials also detected 14 plots, including eight in prime locations of Bhubaneswar, five in Dharmasala and one in Baripada. The Vigilance Technical Wing has been engaged to measure and assess the market value of the buildings and plots.
The searches were conducted at Behera’s residential and official premises, along with houses belonging to his relatives in Baripada and Jajpur. His office chamber at ITDA, Baliguda, and official residence were also searched.
Officials said Behera is being examined to ascertain the source of the assets. Further searches and enquiries are continuing, and the overall valuation of the assets is expected to increase as the investigation progresses.
According to Vigilance records, Behera joined government service as a Junior Engineer (Civil) on August 16, 1999, with an initial salary of ₹6,000 per month. During his career, he served in various locations, including Nabarangpur, Udala, Kusumguda and Dabugaon. He was promoted to Assistant Engineer in 2016 and subsequently elevated to the rank of Assistant Executive Engineer on February 12, 2026. He is currently serving as AEE at ITDA, Baliguda.
The Vigilance enquiry into the disproportionate assets case is underway.
