Jagatsinghpur, Dec 20: The Odisha Vigilance conducted a major raid at the residence and office of Jagatsinghpur Fore st Department Ranger Rajendra Kumar Samantaray, along with three other locations linked to him.
During the operation, officials reportedly seized 200 grams of gold, cash of Rs 3.5 lakh, important documents, bank passbooks, ATM cards, and gold jewelry. Two plots in Jagatsinghpur and one in Cuttack were also attached. Additionally, deposits exceeding Rs 50 lakh in various banks were frozen. The total estimated value of movable and immovable assets is over Rs 3 crore, with further investigations expected to reveal more, Vigilance officials said.
Ranger Samantaray was taken to Cuttack for further questioning during the raid.
Sources said Rajendra Kumar Samantaray joined the government service as a forester with a monthly salary of Rs 1,500. He was promoted to Deputy Ranger on 15 September 2021 under the Angul Forest Division and later elevated to the post of Ranger on 31 August 2023, when he was posted in the Rahama Forest Range of Jagatsinghpur, where he continues to serve.
