Odisha Vigilance nabs two crorepati officials in DA case

Bhubaneswar: The Vigilance department officials in Odisha today arrested an Additional Director of Mines department and an Additional Chief Engineer of Irrigation department on charges of possessing disproportionate assets (DA) worth crores of rupees.

The Vigilance sleuths arrested Additional Director, Directorate of Mines in Bhubaneswar, Umesh Chandra Jena for possessing disproportionate assets to the tune 368 per cent of his known sources of income. Similarly, Additional Chief Engineer, Minor Irrigation Circle, KBK, Bhwanipatna Kandarpa Pradhan was nabbed by the Vigilance for possessing disproportionate assets to the tune of 70 per cent of his known sources of income.

Two separate cases have been registered in this regard by the Vigilance department, sources said.

Both the arrested officials have been produced before the Special Vigilance Judge in the city here, said an official.

The Vigilance sleuths yesterday searched the house and other properties of Jena at 13 locations in Khurda and Keonjhar districts on the allegation of possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

As many as 13 teams of the Vigilance department comprising 10 DSPs, seven inspectors and other staff searched five locations in Bhubaneswar and Jena’s house at his native village at Sirisapal, the house of one of his relatives at Ghasipura, a building at Gamaharia and five other places in Keonjhar simultaneously.

During the searches, the Vigilance sleuths have unearthed Rs 1.64 crore in cash, 650 gram gold jewellery, one multi-storey building in Bhubaneswar, three buildings at Keonjhar, five plots in prime locations in Keonjhar district, two four-wheeler, two motorcycles, bank deposits and investments from the possession of Jena and his family members.

Similarly, the Vigilance officials searched the house and other properties of Pradhan at eight places in Khurda, Angul and Kalahandi districts yesterday.

During the searches, the Vigilance officials unearthed three flats in Bhubaneswar, two buildings in Angul, five plots in and around Angul town, two four-wheelers, a motorcycle and 530 grams of gold from the possession of Pradhan, said an official.