ED Raids Ex-IFoS Officer In Odisha; Seizes Rs 15L SUV

The Enforcement Directorate has conducted raids against a former Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officer of Odisha in a money laundering investigation against him linked to an alleged disproportionate assets case, it said on Wednesday.

The agency said an SUV, a Tata Harrier model, worth Rs 15 lakh and "incriminating documents" were seized during the searches at the residential premises of the officer, Abhay Kant Pathak.

The action was taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), it said.

Pathak was compulsorily retired by the Union government on the recommendation of the Odisha government following the registration of a vigilance case of disproportionate assets against him last year.

The IFoS officer of the 1987 batch was last posted as the additional principal chief conservator of forests in Odisha.

The Odisha vigilance bureau had alleged that Pathak "misused his official position and amassed ill-gotten wealth to an extent of Rs 9.35 crore".