Bhubaneswar, Jul 26: In a major crackdown on corruption, Odisha Vigilance officials have arrested Rama Chandra Nepak, Deputy Ranger of the Jeypore Forest Range in Koraput district, for possessing assets grossly disproportionate to his known sources of income.

The arrest follows extensive raids conducted across six locations in Koraput and Bhubaneswar under Vigilance PS Case No. 25/2025.

Nepak, whose monthly net salary is ₹69,680, was found to be in possession of a staggering ₹1.43 crore in cash, including ₹1.38 crore hidden in a secret chamber inside Flat No. 510 at Golden Height Residential Apartment in Jeypore. The raids also uncovered 1.5 kg of gold, 4.637 kg of silver, bank deposits exceeding ₹1.33 crore, and multiple high-value properties.

Among the seized assets were: a three-storeyed building in Jeypore, three flats (two in Jeypore, one in Bhubaneswar), two premium land parcels, and two four-wheelers, including a Kia Carens SUV.

The operation involved six DSPs, five inspectors, and nine ASIs, making it one of the largest DA busts in recent memory involving a forest department official. Nepak failed to provide satisfactory explanations for the origin of these assets and will be forwarded to the Court of Special Judge (Vigilance), Jeypore.

Nepak began his career as a Village Forest Worker in 1989 and rose to the rank of Deputy Ranger-cum-In-Charge Ranger. He is likely to face charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The investigation is ongoing, with Vigilance officials scrutinizing financial records and service history to uncover potential conduits of illicit wealth. The case has reignited concerns over systemic corruption in resource-rich regions like Koraput.

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