Odisha Vigilance raids properties of Jagatsingpur forest range officer in DA case

Odisha Vigilance on Saturday conducted simultaneous searches at four locations associated with Rajendra Kumar Samantray, Forest Range Officer of Rahama Forest Range in Jagatsinghpur district, on allegations of possession of disproportionate assets beyond his known sources of income.

According to vigilance officials, the searches were initiated on December 20 following the issuance of search warrants by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Cuttack. The operation is being carried out by a large vigilance team led by two Additional Superintendents of Police, assisted by five Deputy Superintendents of Police, eight Inspectors, and other supporting officers and staff.

The search operations are underway at the officer’s triple-storeyed residential building at Chatara in Jagatsinghpur town, a double-storeyed house at his native village Samantarayapur under Dondo post office in the district, his office at the Forest Range in Sampur under the Cuttack Forest Division, and the government quarters located within the Jagatsinghpur Forest Range campus.

Vigilance officials stated that the searches are part of an ongoing investigation into allegations that the Forest Range Officer accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. Documents, valuables, and other materials relevant to the probe are being examined during the searches.

“Searches are on and we have not estimated the property. We have recovered passbooks, ATMs, land records during the raid,” said Harapriya Nayak, Additional Vigilance SP, Cuttack.

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The search operations were continuing till the filing of this report, and further details are awaited.