The Odisha vigilance department on Friday dug out over Rs One Crore more illicit money belonging to suspended Deputy Manager of Odisha Police Housing Welfare Corporation (OPHWC), Pratap Samal who was arrested on Thursday for amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
This is in addition to Rs 14.87 Crore worth properties and cash which were already documented by the Vigilance as Disproportionate Asset (DA) belonging to the State government servant.
“Documents relating to investments in share market were recovered and seized. Invested amounts (not current value) in shares and debentures by Pratap Samal was found to be Rs.1,07,37,831.74,” a statement issued by the Vigilance read.
Not only that, the Vigilance has urged the OFDC for more data on Samal’s other investments, suspecting that he has more money invested in many other ventures.
According to reports, the Vigilance sleuths have found out that Samal and his wife Sasmita had produced two Odia movies. Those include the 2003 Siddhanta Mohapatra starrer hit movie Nari Akhire Nia and multi starrer film Bazi in 2005.
During raids at multiple locations belonging to Samal, the agency stumbled upon documents related to 25 plots belonging to him and his family members, including those in wife Sasmita’s name. The sleuths also unearthed deposits worth crores of rupees in several banks and Rs 38 lakh cash from Samal’s possession.
Samal was posted as an assistant engineer in OPHWC and drew a salary of around Rs 80,000 per month.