The Odisha Vigilance department has arrested Bhagwat Bhushan Behera, a Forester in Kalahandi’s Bhawanipatna range, following raids that uncovered assets vastly disproportionate to his known sources of income.
During simultaneous searches at three locations, including his Hill Town residence and his brother’s office in Junagarh, officials seized a staggering collection of luxury assets. Behera was taken into custody after failing to explain the source of his wealth.
Seized Assets Include:
Real Estate: A multi-storey building and 9 expensive plots.
Valuables: 470 grams of gold and ₹34 lakh in bank deposits.
Benami Fleet: Two harvesters, four tractors, a tipper, a Hyva truck, a Bolero, and a Toyota car—all allegedly held under anonymous names.
The operation involved four DSPs and seven inspectors. This crackdown underscores the state's "Zero Tolerance" policy toward corruption in the forest department.