New Delhi, Dec 17 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has moved the Centre for throwing out a very corrupt and high-flying IFS officer, Abhay Kant Pathak.

Coming down heavily on corruption in high places, Patnaik has recommended to the Centre for compulsory retirement of Pathak. It is for the first time that an All India Services officer has been recommended by the Odisha government for compulsory retirement on grounds of corruption.

The state Vigilance Department had arrested Abhay Kant Pathak and his son Akash Pathak on evidence of amassing ill-gotten wealth of more than Rs 20 crore that has been recovered till now.

Both the father and son are now in jail. 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 the MD of Tata Motors.

His son has also been arrested by the Crime Branch in a case of forgery, cheating and duping unemployed youth by taking huge cash from them by falsely promising them jobs in Tata Motors.

In this case, the FIR was lodged by Tata Motors. Abhay Kant Pathak was himself using high-brand expensive cars like Mercedes and BMW, purchased using the ill-gotten wealth. During the lockdown period, Abhay Kant Pathak and his son were flying across India in chartered planes and staying in luxurious five-star and seven-star hotels.

Both father and son were using private security guards and bouncers to show off their ill-gotten wealth.