Odisha Soil Conservation Official Arrested for Corruption After Asset Discovery

Dayanidhi Bagh, the Joint Director of Soil Conservation & Watershed Development in Bhubaneswar, was arrested by the Odisha Vigilance. The arrest followed searches that revealed assets far exceeding his known income sources. The assets included two buildings, a flat, 312 grams of gold, bank deposits exceeding Rs 58 lakh, and a ‘benami’ car. Bagh’s property portfolio extended to 84 acres of land, featuring two farmhouses in Nabarangpur. The first farmhouse had drip irrigation and equipment valued at approximately Rs 1 crore, while the second, with its own drip irrigation system, was estimated to have cost Rs 46,12,665. Further holdings included 11 acres near Bhawanipatna and a shopping complex. Bagh was taken into custody for his inability to justify his assets’ origins. The case is linked to an ongoing investigation regarding the misappropriation of funds involving four officials from the watershed wing in Rayagada district.