The Odisha vigilance has arrested the commandant of the 1st Battalion of the Odisha State Armed Police Service (OAPS) on corruption grounds and seized more than Rs 10 lakh from him.
Addressing a media conference in Cuttack on Sunday, superintendent of police (SP), cell division, vigilance, M. Radhakrisna said: “On receipt of reliable information regarding collection of huge by Sunil Kumar Behera, commandant, 1st Battalion, Dhenkanal as illegal gratification from different sources, a team of Odisha vigilance kept a close watch over the movement and activities of Behera.”
The SP said: “Behera was intercepted near Madhusudan Setu (CDA, Sector-11) by a team of Odisha vigilance on Saturday while coming from Dhenkanal to his residence at Cuttack and cash Rs 1,31,535 (suspected ill-gotten cash) was found in his possession. He was coming to Cuttack by the office vehicle.”
Later, vigilance raided his house and seized another Rs 8.70 lakh during a search at his residence in Cuttack. “Total cash recovered so far comes to Rs 10.01 lakh. He could not give a satisfactory reply from where he got the money,” the SP said.
What baffled the vigilance sleuths is how the officer managed to obtain such a huge amount of cash. “He is being examined to ascertain the source of funds,” officials said.
The vigilance further said that simultaneous searches are going on at five locations of Behera for possessing properties more than the known sources of his income.
In another development, Ludasini Nayak, former welfare extension officer, Nuagaon Block in Nayagarh district, who was chargesheeted by Odisha vigilance for demanding and accepting a bribe from a complainant to cause an enquiry and to submit the report to district welfare officer (DWO), Nayagarh, regarding the inter-caste marriage, was convicted by special judge, vigilance, Bhubaneswar, and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of four years and fine of Rs 5,000.
In default of payment of the fine, she would undergo further rigorous imprisonment for a period of two months.
Nayak is currently working as the welfare extension officer, Badampahad, in Mayurbhanj district.
