Dhenkanal RTO arrested in disproportionate assets case

Odisha's anti-graft vigilance sleuths arrested the regional transport officer (RTO) of Dhenkanal for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, vigilance officials said today.

He was arrested and produced before a court in Cuttack yesterday which remanded him to judicial custody till July 19, a vigilance statement said.

On the basis of allegations that the RTO of Dhenkanal, Basanta Kumar Behera, has been acquiring huge assets, two houses owned by him in Cuttack, a flat in Bhubaneswar, a house of one of his relatives at Arikana in Jajpur district and his office in Dhenkanal were searched on Thursday, the vigilance statement said.

The operation was carried out following search warrants issued by the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Cuttack, it said.

During the search operation, the vigilance officials found out that Behera was in possession of assets worth more than Rs 3.85 crore, including a flat in Bhubaneswar, seven plots in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, four costly cars, bank deposits, insurance deposits, cash, gold ornaments and costly household items, the vigilance statement said.

Behera and his wife's income, expenditure and assets were calculated, and they were found in possession of disproportionate assets to their known sources of income to the tune of Rs 2.97 crore, the statement added.

A case was registered and Behera was arrested on Friday, the statement said.