Former BJD MLA Anam Naik arrested in disproportionate assets

Former BJD MLA Anam Naik has been arrested by anti-corruption sleuths of the Odisha Police for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Naik, who represented Bhawanipatna seat in the Assembly from 2014 to 2019, was arrested on Thursday, police said.

His arrest assumes significance as he is the first BJD politician to come under the vigilance scanner, in accordance with the state government's policy of zero tolerance for corruption.

The sleuths had conducted raids on a three-storied house of Naik at Naktiguda in Bhawanipatna and his hotel at Madanpur-Rampur town on January 17.

Naik was found in possession of assets worth Rs 3.42 crore, including three buildings, a duplex lodge with liquor shop, two market complexes, six plots, bank deposit of over Rs 49 lakh, investment in insurance policies, and gold ornaments, a statement released by the vigilance wing said.

"After search, inventory and further enquiry, Naik's income, expenditure and assets were calculated and he was found in possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income to the tune of Rs 1.54 crore," the statement said.

As the former legislator was found in possession of assets which he could not account for satisfactorily, Koraput Vigilance Police Station registered a case against the former MLA under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.

Investigation of the case is in progress, said a senior police officer.

Naik, who was denied a ticket by the BJD in the last election, was not available for comment.

The former MLA had started his career as a junior clerk of the Revenue Department in 1985. He had resigned from service in 2005 and entered active politics.