Bhubaneswar: Acting on input regarding the collection of huge cash by Sunil Kumar Behera, OAPS, Commandant, OSAP 1st Battalion, Dhenkanal, as illegal gratification from different sources, a team of Odisha Vigilance kept a close watch over the movement and activities of Behera. Accordingly, on Saturday, a team of Odisha Vigilance intercepted him near Madhusudan Setu (CDA, Sector-11) while he was coming from Dhenkanal to his residence in Cuttack by his office Bolero vehicle.
During interception, a sum of Rs 1,31,535 was recovered from Behera’s possession, for which he could not give a satisfactory explanation. The entire cash has been seized.
Soon after the interception, simultaneous searches were conducted at the government residential quarter of Behera located at Dhenkanal, his residential quarter at Cantonment Road, Cuttack, his newly constructed house at Jharpada, Bhubaneswar, and his parental house located at Shreekhetra Nagar, Puri.
Further cash to the tune of Rs 8,70,000 was recovered during a house search at his residential quarter at Cantonment Road, Cuttack. With this total cash recovery is Rs 10,01,535, which he could not account for satisfactorily.
In this connection, a case has been registered against Behera at the Vigilance Cell police station under Section 13 (2) r/w 13(1) (b) Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. On Sunday, he was arrested and forwarded to the court. The investigation of the case is underway. Details of immovable and movable assets including investments, deposits, etc. are being investigated into.