₹1.44cr cash recovered from forest dept official in Odisha: State vigilance

The vigilance officials found ₹1.44 crore in cash, four gold biscuits and 16 gold coins concealed in a secret treasury in his Jeypore town flat

Published on: Jul 25, 2025, 11:07:07 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Odisha’s state vigilance department on Friday seized ₹1.44 crore in cash from a deputy ranger of forest department posted in Odisha’s Koraput district.

He is likely to be arrested on Saturday after the vigilance officials assess all his movable and immovable properties. (HT sourced photo)

Following raids on premises of Rama Chandra Nepak, deputy ranger of forest department in Jeypore, the vigilance officials found ₹1.44 crore in cash, four gold biscuits and 16 gold coins concealed in a secret treasury in his Jeypore town flat, said Yashwant Jethwa, director of vigilance.

“Total cash recovery comes to approximately ₹1.44 crore. Counting machines have been deployed by our officials,” said Jethwa.

Acting on allegations of possession of disproportionate assets to the known sources of his income by Nepak, deputy ranger-cum-in-charge ranger, Jeypore forest range under Jeypore Forest Division, simultaneous house searches were conducted on the officer’s premises after warrants were issued by special vigilance judge, Jeypore at six places in Jeypore and Bhubaneswar.

The premises include the forest officer’s building on paternal land at NKT Road, PR Petta in Jeypore town, his two flats at Golden Height Residential Apartment in Jeypore town, flat of his brother at UMS Bhagabati Mansion in Bhubaneswar, house of his in-law at Sombar Tota in Jeypore town and office chamber at Jeypore Forest Range.

Also Read: ED seizes ₹44 lakh cash concealed in secret wall cupboard

Nepak joined as village forest worker in March 1989 in Social Forestry of Koraput Social Forestry Division and after merger of Social Forestry with Territorial Forest Division, he was posted in Jeypore Forest (Territorial) Division. Currently, he is working as deputy ranger cum in-charge ranger, Jeypore Forest Range with a gross salary of ₹76,880 per month.

He is likely to be arrested on Saturday after the vigilance officials assess all his movable and immovable properties.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

Home/Cities/Others/₹1.44cr Cash Recovered From Forest Dept Official In Odisha: State Vigilance