Synopsis
On February 5, the Odisha Vigilance uncovered extensive assets valued in crores, including cash around Rs 2 crore, linked to a senior official in the Agriculture Department. The official, Santanu Mohapatra, is under investigation for disproportionate assets following coordinated searches across multiple locations.Key Takeaways
- Odisha Vigilance recovered assets worth crores.
- Searches conducted at multiple locations linked to Santanu Mohapatra.
- Significant cash seizure of Rs 2.06 crores.
- Investigation into sources of wealth is ongoing.
- Vigilance Department mobilized extensive resources for the operation.
Bhubaneswar, Feb 5 (NationPress) The Odisha Vigilance has uncovered staggering assets valued at several crores, including cash amounting to approximately Rs 2 crore, during coordinated searches at properties associated with a high-ranking official from the state Agriculture Department.
The implicated official, Santanu Mohapatra, serves as the Deputy Director & Project Director of Watershed in the Malkangiri district.
“In response to allegations of possessing assets disproportionate to his legitimate income, the Vigilance Department initiated simultaneous searches at Mohapatra's properties at seven locations, including Malkangiri, Cuttack, and Bhubaneswar,” reported a senior official from the Vigilance Department.
The search locations included Mohapatra’s ancestral home in Cuttack and the residences of an Assistant Agriculture Engineer, a Data Entry Operator, as well as a contractual staff member from the Project Director Watershed office in Malkangiri.
According to sources, seven teams from Odisha Vigilance, comprising two Additional SPs, four Deputy SPs, 10 Inspectors, six ASIs, and other support staff, executed the search under warrants issued by the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Jeypore.
During the searches, it was discovered that Mohapatra and his family possess a triple-storeyed residential building in Jeypore, Koraput, four valuable land plots in prime areas of Bhubaneswar and Jeypore, gold jewelry weighing 422.44 grams, and bank and insurance deposits totaling Rs. 91,10,306. Additionally, they own a four-wheeler, two two-wheelers, and household items valued at over Rs 29.08 lakhs.
The investigative team also recovered cash amounting to Rs 2,06,92,850 during the searches, marking one of the largest cash seizures in the history of the state's vigilance.
Among the findings, Rs 1.98 crore was confiscated from Mohapatra's residence, Rs 6,92,110 from Data Entry Operator Biswajit Mandal, Rs 1,19,140 from Assistant Agriculture Engineer Mohan Mandal, and Rs 81,600 from contractual staff Amiyakanta Sahu.
The Vigilance Technical Wing is currently measuring and valuating the properties owned by Mohapatra and his family. Officials are interrogating Mohapatra and his associates to determine the origins of the assets discovered during the searches.
