Odisha Sarpanch caught with Rs 5.4 lakh ‘ill-gotten’ cash

Bhubaneswar: A Sarpanch was caught with suspected ill-gotten cash to the tune of Rs 5.4 lakh by the Vigilance department in Odisha’s Kalahandi district today.

Vigilance sleuths intercepted Dinesh Kumar Rout, Sarpanch of Brundabahal panchayat under Golamunda block in Kalahandi, on his way back to home from the block headquarters in a four-wheeler (Bolero with Registration no. OD-08-C-5335) and found Rs 5.4 lakh in cash from his possession.

The Vigilance sleuths seized the money after Rout could not give proper account for it. They also seized his Bolero vehicle.

It is suspected that Rout had collected the money as commission from contractors executing various developmental projects in his panchayat.

Following the cash seizure, the Vigilance officials carried out searches at two locations linked to Rout to find out any disproportionate asset (DA).