PRADEEP KUMAR SUBUDHI
Bhubaneswar, August 17: Following the sworn-in of new BJP Government led by CM Mohan Charan Majhi, the anti-corruption department – Vigilance has been vibrant and cracking down on the corrupt officials who amassed cores of public money as bribes and from illegal sources.
In the past few months, at least seven high-ranking officials were found to possess close to 350 immovable properties, including over 250 valuable plots. Amid the Odisha’s Vigilance Directorate’s violent crackdown on high-ranking officials, on Monday (August 12, 2024) the sleuths reached the doorstep of Tara Prasad Mishra, former Chief Engineer of Roads & Building, who was found to own bank deposits worth ₹2.7 crore and gold ornaments weighing about 1.5 kg.
In the past month, vigilance searches at the premises of four senior engineers of the chief engineer level and two Odisha Administrative Service officials and uncovered nearly 300 immovable properties, including over 250 parcels of land.
When the vigilance department raided at TP Mishra’s residence in the morning, they were astonished by the extensive properties accumulated by the retired engineer. Investigation revealed that he and his family members had purchased high-value apartments in Bhubaneswar and Jharsuguda in prime locations and developed by top real estate companies. Besides this, seven pieces of land were traced in upscale areas of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Jatni.
Digging deeper, the anti-corruption bureau traced Mishra’s properties as vastly disproportionate to the means of state government employees. According to the vigilance directorate, the bank deposit over 2.7 crore, approximately 1.5 kg of gold and hepty amounts of cash of over 6 lakh were traced on the spot.
The former engineer had collected foreign currencies from the USA, Thailand, Vietnam, UAE, Canada, Mexico, Malaysia, and Singapore. He was found to have spent 80 lakh towards his daughter’s medical education. Besides, two luxury cars- a Mercedes Benz and KIA Seltos and branded wrist watches including a Rolex watch worth 13 lakh were traced. The vigilance directorate was ascertaining deposits and investments in shares and mutual funds, which are yet to be accounted for.
On August 2, the anti-corruption bureau discovered 105 pieces of land in Odisha and West Bengal belonging to Pravash Kumar Pradhan, Chief Construction engineer of Anandpur barrage division. In the same week, as many as 42 plots were uncovered in five different districts belonging to Pradeep Kumar Rath, Additional Chief Engineer of Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation. He had started a job with a salary of Rs 2000 per month.
A search last month showed Sunil Kumar Raut, Chief Construction engineer of the lower Suktel project, had amassed two multi-storied buildings in Bhubaneswar, three flats in Puri, and Mathura ( Uttar Pradesh), and 34 pieces of land, including one farmhouse spread over eight acres in Dhenkanal.
Similarly, Rama Chandra Mishra, Joint commissioner of excise was arrested for possessing 52 plots apart from six multi-storied buildings and two apartments. Pradeep Kumar Sahu, Block development officer of Athagarh had bought high-valued properties in Bhubaneswar and Nayagarh.
Vigilance on Saturday arrested Pradeep Kumar Mohapatra, Assistant Civil Supply Officer- ACSO, Kendrapara in connection with a disproportionate assets case.
ACSO, Kendrapara Mohapatra had disproportionate assets including two buildings in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, two costly plots in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, Gold weighing 850 gm, deposits over Rs 2.86 crore, cash Rs 1.21 lakh, the official said.
On Saturday Odisha Vigilance Department sleuths also launched massive searches at five locations linked to Binay Bhusan Tripathy, assistant commissioner of CT & GST Enforcement Unit, Jajpur. The raids were conducted on the allegation of siphoning off government money to the tune of Rs 5.85 lakh. Preliminary verification revealed that during the incumbency of Tripathy as assistant commissioner of CT & GST (commercial tax and goods and services tax) Enforcement Unit, Jajpur, he had intercepted the goods vehicle carrying scrap weight about 22,240 kgs worth Rs 8,89,600. He subsequently contacted the owner of the goods and asked to deposit Rs 3,20,000 in the cash ledger as tax and further demanded Rs 2,50,000 towards illegal gratification to release the vehicle and material. Tripathy allegedly sold the entire scrap to another scrap dealer when the bribe demand was not met. He then realized the tax and misappropriated the balance amount of Rs 5,85,356. The Vigilance officials informed that Tripathy is accused of having collected huge bribes from various transporters and suppliers on grounds of evasion of taxes.
This crackdown is part of a broader effort by the new BJP government led by CM Mohan Charan Majhi to combat corruption and recover public money from unscrupulous government officials.
