Bhubaneswar: A junior assistant in Odisha’s health department was arrested on Thursday for alleged abuse ₹2.38 crore, a much higher monthly salary than a cabinet secretary in India over an eight-year period, vigilance officials said.
Subrata Kumar Behera, junior assistant in the office of Chief District Medical Officer, Angul was arrested by Odisha Vigilance.Subrata Kumar Behera, Junior Assistant in the Office of the Chief District Medical Officer, Angul was arrested by Odisha Vigilance and produced before Odisha Vigilance, Angul for having disproportionate assets worth 205% of his known income – assets he could not satisfactorily account for.
Behera has been accused of abuse ₹2.38 crore drawing an additional amount for his salary during the period 2017 to 2025.
Vigilance sleuths searched five locations linked to Behera, uncovering what officials described as a lifestyle totally inconsistent with the income of a junior assistant. Among the assets seized or recorded were a three-storey building measuring approximately 4,500 square feet in Angul town, gold jewelery weighing around 450 grams, bank and postal deposits of approx. ₹36 lakhs.
Behera, who worked at the lowest post in the state government on almost basic pay ₹19,000 onwards ₹22,000 per month, allegedly manipulating the government pay system to limit the basic pay ₹3.36 lakhs and ₹7.36 lakh per month from 2017 to 2025, plus a dearness allowance. ₹9.05 lakhs and ₹14.06 lakh per month from March to June 2021. In comparison, India’s Cabinet Secretary, the country’s senior-most IAS officer, receives basic pay ₹2.5 lakh per month.
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Vigilance officials searched five places associated with Behera, uncovering what they described as a “lifestyle totally inconsistent with the income of a junior assistant”.
Among the assets seized or recorded were a three-storey building in Angul town measuring about 4,500 square feet, gold jewelery weighing about 450 grams, total bank and postal deposits. ₹36 lakh, two four-wheelers — a Skoda and a Polo GT 1.2 TSI — three two-wheelers, and household goods worth approx. ₹17 lakhs.
Officials said that after accounting for all declared earnings and expenses, Behra’s total disproportionate assets were calculated to be 205% more than his legitimate known income.
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“A proper inquiry is needed as to how salary manipulation of this amount was not detected through multiple levels of treasury scrutiny, audit process and supervision of drawing and disbursing officers,” said a senior vigilance official.
