The anti-corruption vigilance wing of Odisha police on Saturday arrested a non-gazetted forest officer for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets to the tune of 501% more than his known sources of income.
Earlier yesterday, the vigilance sleuths during a search operation were literally stunned to stumble upon the wealth of the officer drawing a modest salary with the recovery of 1.5 kg of gold and Rs 1.43 crore stashed in a secret chamber of his house during a raid.
“Rama Chandra Nepak, Deputy Ranger, Jeypore Forest Range, Koraput, was arrested by Odisha Vigilance and forwarded to the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Jeypore for possession of disproportionate assets (DA) to the tune of 501% of his known sources of income, which he could not account for satisfactorily. In this connection, a case was registered against Nepak, Deputy, his spouse and son under sections 13(2) r/w 13(1)(b)/12 PC (Amendment) Act,2018”, vigilance said in a statement.
During house searches, movable and immovable assets worth crores of rupees were unearthed in the name of Nepak and his family members. The ill-gotten assets amassed by the officer included a triple storied building measuring an area of 4,000 square feet, three flats, two high-value plots, Rs 1,43,34,000 (Rs 1.43 crore) cash, gold ornaments weighing 1.504 Kg and silver 4.637 kg, bank and insurance deposits worth Rs 1,32,85,754 (Rs 1.32 crore), they said.
After a thorough search, the income, expenditure and assets of Nepak were calculated and he was found in possession of disproportionate assets which were 501% in excess of his known sources of income.
Nepak joined as a Village Forest Worker in 1989 in Social Forestry at the Koraput Social Forestry Division. He is scheduled to retire from service in December 2025. Currently, he receives a net salary of Rs 69,680 and gross salary of Rs 76,880 per month. As he was receiving a modest salary, it was found that the wealth accrued by him was through proceeds of corrupt practice, they concluded.