- Baikuntha Nath Behera, Odisha engineer, is under probe for disproportionate assets worth crores
- Behera joined government service in 1999 and is currently posted at ITDA, Baliguda
- Assets include five multi-storey buildings, 13-14 plots near Bhubaneswar, and Rs 45 lakh bank deposits
Baikuntha Nath Behera, an Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) with the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Baliguda in Odisha's Kandhamal district, came under the scanner after assets worth crores were unearthed during raids linked to a disproportionate assets case against him.
The Odisha Vigilance on Saturday carried out simultaneous searches at nine locations linked to Behera, including his residential house, paternal building and office, following allegations that he possessed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Career Spanning Over Two Decades
According to Vigilance records, Behera joined government service in 1999 as a junior engineer (civil) at Nabarangpur block with a monthly salary of Rs 6,000.
He later worked in different posts under the ITDA and other government establishments in Nabarangpur and Udala.
He was promoted to Assistant Engineer in October 2016 and posted at ITDA, Nabarangpur. In February 2026, he was promoted as Assistant Executive Engineer and posted at ITDA, Baliguda, where he is currently serving.
Cash, Buildings, Plots Found During Raids
During the searches, Vigilance officials detected assets worth crores, including:
- More than Rs 2 crore in cash
- Approximately Rs 2.4 crore in cash recovered from his bank lockers and house
- Five multi-storey buildings
- 13-14 high-value plots in and around Bhubaneswar
- Gold jewellery weighing 341 grams
- Bank deposits worth over Rs 45 lakh
Officials said the valuation of the buildings is still underway.
The searches, carried out across Bhubaneswar, Balasore, Jajpur and Baliguda, uncovered multiple luxury properties, high-value land holdings and other financial assets. The operation is still underway.
With luxury properties, prime land holdings, substantial cash recoveries and financial investments under scrutiny, the probe is emerging as one of Odisha's significant anti-corruption investigations this year.
The total value of the assets is expected to become clearer once the searches and valuation process are completed.
Odisha Vigilance on Saturday conducted raids at nine locations linked to Behera.
Cell Division Vigilance SP Sushant Kumar Biswal said, "Simultaneous raids were conducted at nine places today (Saturday), including his residential, paternal building and office. We detected five high-rise buildings, 13 valuable plots in and around Bhubaneswar, gold ornaments, cash and bank deposits. Approximately Rs 2.4 crore in hard cash was recovered from his bank locker and house," news agency ANI reported.
He added that further financial calculations will be shared after the investigation concludes.
(With inputs from agencies)
