Cuttack , Feb 25: One, Debabrata Mohanty, posted as Deputy Director of Mines, Cuttack Circle, was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 from a licensed coal trader.
The Odisha Vigilance Department has recovered more than Rs 4 crore in unaccounted cash during raids, marking the state's biggest cash seizure in a corruption case to date.
The entire amount was recovered and seized on the spot.
Following the arrest, simultaneous searches were conducted at three locations Mohanty's flat in Bhubaneswar, his ancestral home in Bhadrak district and his office chamber & during the raid at Mohanty's apartment in Bhubaneswar, officials recovered over Rs 4 crore in cash, allegedly concealed in trolley bags and cupboards.
In addition, Rs 1.20 lakh was recovered from Mohanty’s office drawer and during his personal search. Preliminary investigations have also revealed other assets, including a two-storey residential house built on around 2,400 square feet of land in Bhubaneswar and about 130 grams of gold.
A case has been registered against Mohanty under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, at the Bhubaneswar Vigilance Police Station.
Search operations are continuing and vigilance officials said further recoveries cannot be ruled out as the probe progresses.
|