Deputy Forest Ranger is a rich man! Vigilance officers were shocked to see cash and jewellery:

News Topical, Digital Desk : Anti-Corruption Vigilance Department (Vigilance) officials on Friday recovered Rs 1.43 crore in cash, 1.5 kg gold and over 4.6 kg silver from a "secret chamber" in the residence of a deputy forest ranger in Odisha's Koraput district, an official statement said. Besides, the vigilance teams also recovered property worth a multi-storey building, three flats, two high-value plots, bank deposits worth Rs 1.33 crore, two cars and other household articles worth over Rs 15 lakh during the search, Koraput Vigilance Superintendent of Police (SP) Ravindra Kumar Panda said.

Where were the raids?

House of Ramchandra Nepak built on ancestral land, NKT Road, PR Pettah, Jaipur Town, District Koraput.
Flat No. 510, Golden Heights Residential Apartment, PR Petta, Jaipur.
Flat No. 511, Golden Heights Residential Apartment, PR Pettah, Jaipur.
His brother's flat, UMS Bhagabati Mansion, Raghunathpur, Bhubaneswar.
His in-laws' house, Sombar Tola, Jaipur Town.
His office, Jaipur Forest Range.

The vigilance department launched a search operation at six locations of Ram Chandra Nepak, Deputy Ranger-cum-Incharge of Jeypore Forest Range. He is accused of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. The department said in a statement that the officer's gross monthly salary is Rs 76,880 (net Rs 69,680). Nepak started his career as a village forest worker under the Social Forestry Division in Koraput on March 9, 1989. The statement said that during the raid against Ramchandra Nepak, about Rs 1.4 crore hidden in a secret chamber in his flat located in Golden Height Residential Apartments in Jeypore Town has been recovered. Counting machines have been installed and counting work is going on.

It also said that 1.5 kg gold, 4.63 kg silver, four gold biscuits, 16 gold coins and two high-priced plots of land in Jeypore Town were also unearthed. However, Nepak claimed that the properties found at his place also belonged to his son and wife, who are doing business. About the recovery of gold and silver, he said, "The gold and silver were received as gifts during the marriage of him and his son. There is nothing illegal in it.

found a hidden treasure

The most shocking thing came to light when a secret treasure was found from flat number 510. So far, the officials have recovered about ₹ 1.4 crore cash from there. This amount was kept in a secret place, which was discovered by the team. The total cash recovery has increased to about ₹ 1.44 crore. Investigation is going on regarding the validity of the recovered property, the total weight of gold and other documents. It is being seen from which source and how such a huge wealth was collected.

assets disproportionate to income

Deputy Ranger Shri Ramchandra Nepak is accused of accumulating assets more than his known income. This income does not match his job and government salary. On this basis, this investigation was started, in which such a huge amount of cash and property has been exposed. The vigilance team is investigating the legality of the properties, bank accounts, documents and other electronic evidence. The possibility of detaining Shri Nepak for questioning cannot be ruled out. This action is being considered another major achievement of the Vigilance Department against government corruption in Odisha. The investigation may lead to more shocking revelations in the coming days.