Bhubaneswar: The Block Development Officer (BDO) of Golamunda in Odisha’s Kalahandi district was caught with suspected ill-gotten cash to the tune of Rs 5 lakh by the Vigilance department today.

The Vigilance sleuths intercepted BDO Akhyamita Kartik’s vehicle near Jaring Square in Kalahandi while she was on her way to her native place in Koraput in the evening and found the cash from her possession.

Officials of the Vigilance department intercepted the BDO following the receipt of credible inputs regarding collection of bribes and commission money by her.

The Vigilance officials are questioning the BDO to know the source of the seized money.

They are also conducting simultaneous searches at various locations linked to the BDO in Kalahandi and Koraput districts in connection with disproportionate assets (DA).

Notably, Akhyamita Kartik, an OAS officer, had been suspended by the state government for misappropriation of Covid funds during her tenure as Kosagumuda BDO in Nabarangpur district in 2022.

The district administration in Rayagada had also filed police complaint against the woman OAS officer for misappropriation of Red Cross funds during her tenure as Gunupur Tehsildar.