Rs 75,500 recovered from engineer’s fridge during raid by Odisha Vigilance; Assets worth crores unearthed

Sambad English Bureau Published On : Mar 16, 2022 at 2:42 PM

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance officials today raided multiple places in connection with allegation against Manoj Kumar Behera, Executive Engineer, Drainage Division, Gandarpur, Cuttack, regarding possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

On the strength of search warrant issued by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Cuttack, as many as four DSPs, eight Inspectors and other staff of the anti-corruption agency carried out simultaneous raids at the houses and office of Behera, during which movable and immovable properties worth crores of rupees were unearthed by the officials.

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Rs 3,31,960 in cash, including Rs 75,500 from the vegetable tray of a refrigerator, was recovered during the searches.

Other properties traced by the Vigilance are:

* Palatial double storeyed building at Mahanadi Vihar, Cuttack.

* Flat in the name of Debasmita Behera (wife) in Pahal worth over Rs 34.52 lakh.

* Gold jewellery weighing 480 gms.

* 6 plots in prime areas of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar as per details below

a) One plot in Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneswar worth Rs 19.80 lakh.

b) One plot at Mahanadi Vihar, Cuttack worth Rs 8.64 lakh.

c) Two plots in Jagamara, Bhubaneswar in the name of Debasmita Behera worth Rs 20.90 lakh.

d) One plot at Anantapur, Bhubaneswar in the name of Debasmita Behera worth Rs 12.42 lakh.

e) One plot at Bhanapur, Cuttack in the name of Debasmita Behera worth Rs 9.20 lakh.

* Fixed deposits, bank and insurance deposits of over Rs 31 lakh.

Valuation of the plots as per regd. sale deed is Rs 70.94 lakh. However, undervaluation of the plots during registration is suspected. A thorough probe has been initiated in the matter. The actual price is likely to be much higher. Vigilance Technical Wing will carry out detailed measurement and assessment, official sources said.

Till last reports came in, the searches were underway while total value of his movable and immovable properties were yet to be calculated.