Vigilance unearths 3 buildings, 11 plots, 1.5 kg gold from Odisha transport officer's possession

Odisha Vigilance on Thursday unearthed huge assets, including three multi-storeyed buildings, three flats, 11 plots and a farmhouse from the possession of a senior transport officer.

Acting on a tip-off, vigilance officials conducted simultaneous raids on the properties and office of the officer, Pradeep Kumar Mohanty, across nine locations in the districts of Khurda, Nayagarh, Puri, and Cuttack, an official stated.

Mohanty, who began his government service in 1990 as a junior motor vehicle inspector (MVI), currently holds the position of joint commissioner (road safety) at the State Transport Authority (STA), Odisha.

During the raids so far, the vigilance sleuths have detected three multi-storeyed buildings in Bhubaneswar, Puri and Khurda, two 'benami' flats in Puri, a farm house spread over 14.78 acres in Nayagarh, 11 high-value plots in Bhubaneswar, Khurda, Ranapur and Nayagarh, and one agriculture land of over 11 acres, the official said.

Similarly, three gold biscuits weighing 300 grams and gold ornaments of 1.5 kg, Rs 1 crore paid for the purchase of a luxurious flat in Bhubaneswar, a bank deposit of Rs 17 lakh, two four-wheelers and Rs 15.55 lakh in cash were also seized during the raids, the official added.

The anti-corruption wing officials have been questioning Mohanty to ascertain the source of the assets. Further searches are underway, he said.

(With PTI inputs)