Sub-registrar under Vigilance scanner over DA charge in Odisha’s Nayagarh, raids underway

Nayagarh: Separate teams of Vigilance sleuths today carried out simultaneous raids at six different places associated with a sub-registrar identified as Saswat Kumar Pattanaik working in Nayagarh.

The vigilance team searched the locations as allegedly the sub-registrar had amassed assets disproportionate to his legal sources of income. The raids were underway till the time when this report was filed.

During searches on properties linked to the district sub-registrar, two double-storey buildings, six plots, a four-wheeler, along with other assets have been unearthed, so far. The seized properties include a double-storey building with a total area of 2,350 sqft located at Talabaranga in Kendrapara town, another double-storey building with a total area of approximately 2,100 sqft at Talagaon under Kudanagari police limits of Kendrapara, six plots in and around Cuttack, Jatni, Khurdha, and Kendrapara towns.

The landed properties include a piece of land measuring 0.046002 acre vide Khata No-1162/2216 and Plot No-1019/1357 at Bhanapur mouza of Cuttack district, another piece of land measuring 0.055 acre vide Khata No-466 and Plot No-250 at Baanra mouza of Cuttack, a piece of land measuring an area of 0.02754 acre vide Khata No-86 and Plot No-613 at Dhakhinamundamuhan mouza of Khurda, a piece of land measuring an area of 0.0027 acre vide Khata No-1339 and Plot No-144 at Chhhanaghar mouza in Jatni town of Khurda, a piece of land measuring an area of 0.55 acre vide Khata No-644 and Plot No-1242 at Narangarh mouza of Khurda, a piece of land measuring 0.06 acre vide Khata No-166/175 and Plot No-262/643 at Balarampur mouza of Kendrapara district, an official source said.

“The measurement and valuation of the above buildings and plots are being carried out by Vigilance Technical Wing. An advance of Rs 6,54,500 was paid to two realtors for the purchase of land in his name, including three two-wheelers,” a senior official of the Vigilance raid team expressed.

Notably, eight DSPs, six Inspectors, and several other Vigilance officials from Khurda, Bhubaneswar, and Nayagarh divisions have taken part in the house search. Pattanaik has been working in Nayagarh district for the last one year and searches were conducted based on a warrant from a special Vigilance court.