SAMBALPUR: Vigilance officials unearthed huge assets including three buildings, four flats, seven plots and Rs 14.5 lakh cash during raids on properties linked to the assistant conservator of forests (ACF), Hirakud Wildlife Division Rebati Raman Joshi on Friday.
Officials of the anti-graft agency said acting on allegations of the ACF amassing disproportionate assets ( DA) to his known sources of income, simultaneous searches were conducted at nine locations linked to Joshi.
Three DSPs, 10 inspectors and other support staff carried out the raids in Sambalpur and Bargarh districts on the strength of search warrants issued by the special Vigilance judge.
Till evening, Vigilance officials had unearthed assets including a three-storey building at Ainthapali, a commercial building at Malipali in Sambalpur, another building at Padmapur in Bargarh, a flat at Ghatikia in Bhubaneswar, 3-BHK flat at Farm Road, two 2-BHK flat near Church Chowk and seven plots in prime locations of Sambalpur and Bargarh.
The officials also seized Rs 14.5 lakh cash besides gold jewellery weighing 150 gm and silver ornaments of 300 gm.
The measurement and valuation of the plots are being carried out by the technical wing of Vigilance. Bank, insurance and postal deposits besides other investments are being ascertained. Further search is underway, said the officials.
On the other hand, ACF Joshi said, “The assets were bought from my own hard-earned money. Some other assets are my ancestral property. All monetary transactions have been done through cheques.”