Bhubaneswar/Jaipur/Kendrapara – In a massive crackdown on government corruption, Odisha Vigilance has unearthed an astonishing cache of illegal assets from senior government officials, exposing a network of unexplained wealth buried under layers of bureaucracy.
In a major crackdown against corruption in Odisha, the State Vigilance Department has conducted simultaneous raids at six residences of Mr. Ramchandra Nepak, Deputy Ranger of Jaipur Forest Range in Koraput district. It is alleged that Nepak has amassed assets far beyond the known sources of his income.
The raid was launched on Friday morning at a total of 6 locations in Jaipur and Bhubaneswar. This action was taken on the basis of the search warrant obtained from the Special Vigilance Court of Jaipur. A large team of 6 Deputy SPs, 5 Inspectors, 9 ASIs and other staff was deployed for the raid.
Where are the raids going on?
- House built on ancestral land of Ramchandra Nepak, NKT Road, PR Petta, Jaipur Town, District Koraput.
- Flat No. 510, Golden Heights Residential Apartment, PR Petta, Jaipur.
- Flat No. 511, Golden Heights Residential Apartment, PR Petta, Jaipur.
- His brother’s flat, UMS Bhagwati Mansion, Raghunathpur, Bhubaneswar.
- His in-laws house, Monday Tola, Jaipur Town.
- His Office, Jaipur Forest Range.
The most shocking thing came to light when a secret treasure was found in flat number 510. So far, the authorities have recovered around ₹1.4 crore in cash from there. The money was kept in a secret place, which the team discovered. The total cash recovery has increased to around ₹1.5 crore. Cash counting machines have been brought to the spot and counting has been started.
Apart from cash, 4 gold biscuits and 16 gold coins of 10-10 grams have also been recovered from the flat during the raid. The process of weighing these gold items is going on.
The Vigilance Department team is still investigating. The validity of recovered property, total weight of gold and other documents is on. It remains to be seen from what source and in what manner such a large wealth was collected.
Deputy Ranger Mr. Ramachandra Nepak is accused of amassing wealth beyond his known income. This income does not match their job and government salary. It was on this basis that the investigation was launched, in which such huge cash and assets have been exposed.
The vigilance team is checking the legitimacy of assets, bank accounts, documents and other electronic evidence. The possibility of detaining Mr. Nepak for questioning cannot be ruled out.
This action is being considered as another major achievement of the Vigilance Department against government corruption in Odisha. The investigation may reveal more shocking revelations in the coming days.
Just two days ago, BMC Executive Engineer Jagannath Patnaik became the latest official to fall in the Vigilance net. Acting on credible intelligence, Vigilance teams swooped down on four properties linked to him across Bhubaneswar, Khorda, and Rayagada, including his upscale residence at Badagarh British Colony. With 6 DSPs and 10 Inspectors spearheading the raids, investigators are probing Patnaik for amassing disproportionate assets far exceeding his known sources of income.
In a case that has left many shocked, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Nityanand Nayak was arrested on July 22 following two days of sustained raids at his official quarters and office in Keonjhar. The extent of his undeclared fortune is staggering: A 9,000 sq. ft. multi-storey building in Angul, A luxurious farmhouse in Chhendipada, 115 land plots, ₹10.25 lakh in cash, 200 grams of gold, Bank deposits worth ₹5.38 lakh, Two high-end cars. Adding to the shock, a firearm and ₹8.5 lakh were recovered from his official residence.
Odisha Vigilance, under the leadership of its Special Task Teams, is sending a clear signal: No corrupt official will be spared. These back-to-back high-profile crackdowns are part of a larger statewide anti-corruption drive that has already shaken many departments.
“Every rupee looted from public money will be traced, recovered, and accounted for,” said a senior Vigilance official involved in the operations. With each new revelation, the curtain continues to rise on the shadow economy thriving within Odisha’s bureaucracy — and the Vigilance seems determined to bring every hidden stash into the daylight.
