Berhampur: A day after Odisha Vigilance raided multiple locations and properties linked to a Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) in Ganjam district, the accused official was arrested on charges of possession of disproportionate assets (DA). The accused was identified as Assistant Engineer Panchu Behera, currently posted as SDO at DAHA Irrigation Sub-Division under Bhanjanagar Irrigation Division, had come under scrutiny following allegations of possessing assets beyond his known sources of income.

He has been produced before the Court of the Special Judge, Vigilance, Berhampur.

According to Vigilance officials, the searches revealed assets allegedly disproportionate to his known sources of income. These include a multi-storeyed building in Berhampur town, five valuable land plots, cash amounting to ₹18.90 lakh, bank and other deposits worth approximately ₹90 lakh, and gold ornaments weighing 568 grams.

Additionally, authorities seized heavy machinery, including an Ajax Argo 4300 concrete mixer machine valued at around ₹57 lakh and a Hyundai excavator machine worth approximately ₹37 lakh.

As the officer could not satisfactorily account for these assets, a case (Berhampur Vigilance PS Case No. 03/2026) has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018.

Further investigation into the matter is currently underway, officials said.

On Thursday, a vigilance team comprising three DSPs, seven Inspectors, and supporting staff conducted simultaneous searches at five locations across the district. During the operation, officials recovered assets worth crores, including cash, immovable properties, and heavy machinery.

During searches, following assets were unearthed

• One triple storeyed building with area 3550 Sqft. located at Basant Vihar, Berhampur.
• 5 valuable plots in and around Berhampur town.
• Cash Rs.18,90,800/- (cash Rs.15.13 lakhs from residential house at Berhampur and Rs.3, 72,800/- from Govt. quarter at Bhanjanagar).

• 1 Concrete Mixer Machine purchased in the year 2024 for Rs.57 Lakhs.
• 1 JCB Machine purchased in the year 2025 for Rs.37 lakhs.
• 1 four wheeler (Hyundai i-20) and 3 two wheelers.  

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