Centre recommended for compulsory retirement of Abhay Pathak

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday recommended the Centre for compulsory retirement of suspended IFS officer Abhay Kant Pathak, who has been arrested on charges of corruption.

This is for the first time that the Odisha government has recommended compulsory retirement of an All India Services Officer on grounds of corruption.

The state Vigilance Department had arrested Abhay Kant Pathak and his son Akash Pathak on evidence of amassing disproportionate assets worth over Rs 20 crore as recovered till now.

Both the father and the son are lodged in jail.

Abhay Kant Pathak was making cash deposits of his ill-gotten wealth in his son Akash Pathak’s bank accounts and further helping his son in fraudulently posing as MD of Tata Motors, said an official.

His son has been also arrested by Crime Branch in case of forgery, cheating and duping unemployed youth by taking huge cash from them on job pretext.

During the lockdown, Abhay Kant Pathak and his son were flying across India in chartered flights and staying in luxurious five-star and seven-star hotels.

Both the father and the son were using private security guards to show off their ill-gotten wealth, the official said.