Odisha Vigilance sleuths on 30 December 2025 reportedly uncovered a massive stash of unexplained wealth linked to Jitendra Kumar Panda, the Additional Tahsildar of Barang in Cuttack.
During simultaneous raids at four locations, officials recovered ₹75 lakh approximately in cash, with approximately ₹70 lakh found hidden in a locked house belonging to his mother-in-law.
The anti-corruption wing also unearthed multiple multi-storey buildings, prime plots, and significant gold jewellery worth crores of rupees. Panda, who is currently being interrogated, faces allegations of amassing assets far beyond his known sources of income throughout his three-decade government career.
Alleged Multi-Crore Empire
Jitendra Kumar Panda began his professional journey in 1995 as a Senior Laboratory Assistant under a rehabilitation scheme, earning a humble monthly salary of just ₹2,000.
Over thirty years, he ascended to the rank of Odisha Revenue Service (ORS) officer, but his financial trajectory has now come under intense scrutiny.
Investigators suspect that Panda amassed this vast wealth by extending undue favours to real estate developers during his various tenures as a Sub-Registrar and Revenue Officer.
This dramatic rise from a low-wage laboratory assistant to the owner of multiple luxury properties in Bhubaneswar and Khordha has shocked local administrative circles.
Vigilance Findings
According to Susanta Biswal, SP of the Vigilance Cell in Cuttack, the search operation involved four dedicated teams comprising DSPs and Inspectors.
“Investigation is going on, and at present we can’t say the exact figure as counting is ongoing. After completion of the counting, the details will be updated. It is approximately ₹75 to ₹80 lakhs,” Biswal told the media.
Beyond the cash, officials identified two triple-storey buildings in Badagada, a 2-BHK flat in Uttara, and a double-storey building in Khordha. Further scrutiny of three bank lockers at State Bank of India and Central Bank branches in Bhubaneswar is scheduled for Wednesday to finalize the asset valuation.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The recovery of such a staggering amount of cash from a public servant’s residence is a painful reminder of the systemic corruption that continues to bleed our administrative machinery.
When those entrusted with the duty of land records and public service prioritise personal greed over their oath of office, it is the common citizen who suffers the most.
We commend the Odisha Vigilance department for their proactive stance, yet these recurring incidents suggest that punitive action alone is not enough; we need a fundamental shift toward transparency and digital accountability. A society built on integrity cannot coexist with a culture of kickbacks and hidden lockers.
