Odisha Vigilance raids revenue official's 6 properties in ₹3-crore fraud case
Synopsis
A revenue official who allegedly siphoned over ₹3 crore from government salary registers over a decade now faces a widening asset probe — with Odisha Vigilance uncovering two multi-storeyed buildings totalling over 16,000 sq ft, a tent house, gold jewellery, and a pick-up van from just six search locations. The full asset tally is still being counted.
Key Takeaways
Odisha Vigilance searched six locations linked to revenue official Bhanja Kishore Behera on 24 August .
Behera was arrested on 12 August for allegedly misappropriating ₹3,02,95,000 in government funds over financial years 2011-12 to 2021-22 .
Raids uncovered a triple-storeyed building (7,750 sq ft) , a double-storeyed building , and a tent house (8,400 sq ft) at Patenigaon.
Investigators also recovered 210 grams of gold jewellery , a Mahindra pick-up van , and assets worth ₹30.44 lakh tied to the tent house.
The Vigilance Technical Wing is valuing the properties; bank and investment details of Behera and his family are being examined.
Odisha Vigilance on Monday, 24 August conducted simultaneous searches at six locations linked to Bhanja Kishore Behera, a revenue department official arrested earlier this month for allegedly misappropriating over ₹3 crore in government funds. The raids, targeting properties in Jagatsinghpur district, were launched on suspicion of disproportionate assets accumulated beyond his known sources of income.
Background: The Arrest and the Fraud
Behera, presently posted as Senior Revenue Assistant (SRA) at Naugaon Tahasil in Jagatsinghpur district, was arrested by the Vigilance Department on 12 August in connection with the alleged misappropriation of ₹3,02,95,000 in government funds. He previously served as SRA at Tirtol Block in the same district.
According to the Odisha Vigilance, an extensive investigation covering financial years 2011-12 through 2021-22 uncovered what officials described as a 'systematically executed financial fraud' centred at the Tirtol Block office. Behera allegedly fabricated and tampered with government salary registers and disbursal documents to siphon funds over a decade.
What Behera Admitted During Interrogation
Vigilance sources stated that during further interrogation, Behera admitted to having acquired assets — including a palatial building of 7,000 sq ft, a tent house, and other valuables — using approximately ₹2 crore of the misappropriated amount. Acting on information gathered during questioning, investigators moved to search six locations associated with him.
What the Raids Uncovered
Searches were conducted at Behera's residential buildings and tent house at Patenigaon, his current office at Naugaon Tahasil, his previous posting at Tirtol Block office, and the residence of a relative at Sanakorkora village under Raghunathpur police station area in Jagatsinghpur district.
Vigilance officials unearthed a triple-storeyed building measuring approximately 7,750 sq ft, a double-storeyed building, and a tent house measuring around 8,400 sq ft at Patenigaon. Assets and articles worth ₹30.44 lakh, reportedly purchased in 2019 for running the tent house, were also seized. The searches further led to the recovery of 210 grams of gold jewellery and a Mahindra pick-up van.
Valuation and Further Probe
The Vigilance Technical Wing is currently conducting measurement and valuation of the buildings and tent house. Investigators are also ascertaining bank and postal deposits and other investments held by Behera and his family members. The full scale of the disproportionate assets is expected to become clearer once the valuation exercise is complete.
This case adds to a growing list of Odisha government employees caught in vigilance dragnets over the past two years, signalling an intensified anti-corruption push by the state's enforcement apparatus. Further action against Behera is expected as the probe widens.
Point of View
Across a decade, at a block-level office that rarely draws scrutiny. The sheer scale of what six search locations yielded — over 16,000 sq ft of built property, gold, and a commercial vehicle — raises questions about how such accumulation went undetected through multiple internal audits. Odisha's vigilance machinery deserves credit for the arrest, but the more uncomfortable question is why a decade-long trail of fabricated documents was not caught earlier by departmental checks. If block-level offices remain audit blind spots, Behera may be one name on a longer list.
NationPress
24 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Bhanja Kishore Behera and why was he arrested?
Bhanja Kishore Behera is a Senior Revenue Assistant (SRA) currently posted at Naugaon Tahasil in Jagatsinghpur district, Odisha. He was arrested by the Odisha Vigilance Department on 12 August for allegedly misappropriating ₹3,02,95,000 in government funds by fabricating salary registers and disbursal documents at Tirtol Block office between 2011-12 and 2021-22.
What did Odisha Vigilance find during the raids on 24 August?
Vigilance officials uncovered a triple-storeyed building of around 7,750 sq ft, a double-storeyed building, and a tent house of approximately 8,400 sq ft at Patenigaon. They also recovered 210 grams of gold jewellery, a Mahindra pick-up van, and assets worth ₹30.44 lakh linked to the tent house operation.
How many locations were searched and where?
Six locations were searched simultaneously, including Behera's residential buildings and tent house at Patenigaon, his current office at Naugaon Tahasil, his previous posting at Tirtol Block office, and a relative's residence at Sanakorkora village in Jagatsinghpur district.
What is the total amount allegedly misappropriated?
According to the Odisha Vigilance, Behera allegedly misappropriated ₹3,02,95,000 in government funds over a period spanning financial years 2011-12 through 2021-22. He reportedly admitted during interrogation to using approximately ₹2 crore of that amount to acquire assets.
What happens next in the investigation?
The Vigilance Technical Wing is currently measuring and valuing the seized buildings and tent house. Investigators are also examining bank deposits, postal savings, and other investments held by Behera and his family members. Further legal action is expected as the asset valuation is completed.
