Bhubaneswar, July 11: Some peons in the state have emerged richer than some of the cabinet colleagues of Naveen Patnaik.

While SC and ST development minister Lal Bihari Himirika has modest assets worth Rs 18 lakh, a peon is reported to have acquired properties over Rs 1 crore.

In the past one year, the vigilance has raided the houses of more than three “super-rich peons”, besides a dozen government clerks and engineers.

When vigilance officials raided the residence of Braja Kishore Panigrahi, 55, a peon in the office of the district inspector of schools, Jharsuguda, yesterday, they discovered he was a crorepati.

Superintendent of police (vigilance), Sambalpur, Manoranjan Panda said: “Both moveable and immovable properties of Panigrahi would cross Rs 1 crore. We are amazed how a peon has managed to amass such huge assests with a salary of less than Rs 12,000.”

During probe, it came to light that Panigrahi had adopted a typical modus operandi to earn his wealth. “The peon used to play a key role in the transfer and postings of school teachers. He used to charge Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 for making or cancelling transfer of teachers with the help of higher officials. He kept his cut and distributed the remaining money among the higher-ups in the department,” Panda said.

Panigrahi has been serving in the Jharsuguda education circle for more than 25 years and knows every teacher in the area personally.

Panigrahi’s brother-in-law’s house at Balasore’s Saragaon village was also raided.

The immovable assets of Panigrahi include a three-storey building at Sarbahal in Jharsuguda and two houses — one four-storey and the other two-storey — in Balasore town. The peon’s movable assets include one Maruti car, one Hero Honda motorcycle and a Scooty worth Rs 7.65 lakh. While Panigrahi owns gold and silver ornaments worth Rs 4.46 lakh, his houses are stacked with costly gadgets and appliances. The bank deposits in different financial institution, such as Bajaj Alianz, Tata AIG, Reliance, LIC, Sahara, have so far been calculated to be worth Rs 10.26 lakh.

However, Panigrahi is not the only rags-to-riches story in Odisha. In March, vigilance raid revealed a peon, Prahalad Swain, had property worth nearly Rs 1 crore.

Similarly, in July last year, peon Bhagyadhar Das, 57,was found to be in possession of property worth Rs 2 crore. Former director, vigilance, Gopal Nanda said only public participation and people’s resistance could reduce corruption.