TV
A senior Odisha government engineer is under the Vigilance scanner in connection with accumulating disproportionate assets. Raids across multiple locations, which were carried out yesterday, revealed a stunning ‘ill-got’ property portfolio including several houses, flats, plots, and unaccounted cash, official sources said on Tuesday.
Vigilance raids at multiple locations are underway for the second consecutive day.
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The unearthed disproportionate assets (DA) have raised serious questions about corruption in public service in the State.
Massive wealth has surfaced from the residences and properties of Superintending Engineer (SE) Surendra Behera during simultaneous vigilance raids. Officials have found significant assets that allegedly exceed his known sources of income.
The raids, carried out in Bhubaneswar, Sundargarh, Rourkela, and Ganjam, revealed that Behera owns two houses, two flats, and four plots of land across Odisha. Specifically, authorities found a three-storey house in Sundargarh and a two-storey house in Rourkela.
In Bhubaneswar’s upscale Aurovilla apartment in Ghatikia locality, Behera possesses two flats, while plots were detected in Purushottampur (Ganjam), Sundargarh, and Rourkela.
During today’s raid, officials also seized Rs 1.25 lakh in cash, along with details of various bank deposits. The vigilance team is continuing its probe into the alleged disproportionate assets, tracking documentation, financial records, and property registrations.
As of now, Behera has not commented publicly on the DA accusations or the findings of the ongoing probe. When contacted, the superintending engineer remained tight-lipped and briefly expressed, “I do not know anything and cannot say anything.”
The simultaneous searches were led by three Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), ten Inspectors, four Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs), and the supporting staff.
Residential Property:
• A triple-storeyed building measuring 4,200 sq. ft. at Sundargarh Town, Sundargarh district.
• A double-storeyed building measuring around 3,500 sq. ft. at Chhend, M/20, Gopabandhu Nagar, Rourkela.
• A 3-BHK flat (No. 403) measuring 1,575 sq. ft. at Aurovila-1, Phase-3, Ghatikia, Bhubaneswar.
• A 2-BHK flat (No. 402) measuring 1,240 sq. ft. at Aurovila-1, Phase-3, Ghatikia, Bhubaneswar.
Plots of Land:
• One plot (No.721/6406, Khata No.516/189) measuring 1,925 sq. ft. at Sundargarh Town.
• One plot at Chhend (No.M/20) measuring 1,730 sq. ft. at Rourkela.
• Two plots (No.363/2186 & 363/2187, Khata No.47/607) measuring 0.04 acres at Ranajhandi, Purusottampur, Ganjam.
Valuables and Investments:
• Cash of Rs 1.25 lakh.
• Bank deposits, financial investments, and other deposits (still being ascertained).
• Three two-wheelers.
