Odisha Govt Suspends DFO Bijay Kumar Parida Over Alleged Asset Discrepancy

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Forest Department has suspended Deputy Forest Officer (DFO) Bijaya Kumar Parida for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Parida was arrested on August 25 after simultaneous raids by Vigilance officials at seven different locations in Rayagada, Khurda, Cuttack, and Jajpur districts. The raids uncovered assets worth more than Rs 4 crore, including a G+3-storey building in Cuttack valued at Rs 1.8 crore, a triple-storey building and a flat in Bhubaneswar, 17 plots in various cities, Rs 1.24 lakh in cash, and 650 grams of gold jewellery.

The Vigilance authorities determined that the assets in question amounted to a staggering 206% in excess of Parida’s known sources of income. This finding led to his suspension and ongoing investigations into the case.

The Forest Department has taken this action to send a strong message that it will not tolerate corruption or disproportionate asset accumulation. The department is committed to upholding ethical standards and ensuring that all its officers are accountable for their actions.