Bhubaneswar, July 22:
In a jaw-dropping anti-corruption operation, Odisha Vigilance on Sunday busted a massive disproportionate assets case involving Nityananda Nayak, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Keonjhar Kendu Leaf Division. The raid revealed a staggering personal empire valued at over ₹10 crore, including 115 land plots, a four-storey mansion, a mini armoury, and a cache of rare teakwood artefacts.
This is the highest number of land holdings ever unearthed in any Vigilance case in Odisha. The 115 plots were spread across Nayak and his family—53 in his own name, 42 under his wife, 16 in his sons’ names, and 4 under his daughter—primarily concentrated in Chhendipada, Angul, and acquired between 1992 and 2024. Although officially registered at around ₹2.5 crore, the market value of these plots is believed to exceed ₹10 crore.
Nayak, an Odisha Forest Service (OFS) officer who began his career in 1992, is suspected to have acquired a majority of these assets during his postings in Khariar and Rayagada divisions, where he served as forest ranger and assistant conservator.
The raid also led to the discovery of a 9,000 sqft luxury building in Angul, a rifle and traditional hunting weapons, ₹1.55 lakh in cash, 200 grams of gold, and two four-wheelers. Searches were conducted at seven locations, including his government quarters in Keonjhar, ancestral home in Angul, and his son’s residence in Nayagarh.
Vigilance officials are currently examining Nayak’s bank accounts, insurance policies, and postal investments, indicating that further undisclosed wealth may come to light soon.
This record-setting bust comes as a major victory for the new BJP-led Odisha Government, which has vowed to clean up entrenched corruption in the state’s bureaucracy. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has been praised for his firm and proactive stance against corruption, with this case being seen as a direct outcome of his administration’s zero-tolerance approach.
The crackdown has sent shockwaves through government departments and strengthened public confidence in the Majhi government’s mission to build a clean, accountable, and transparent Odisha.
