Vigilance sleuths seize cash over Rs 10 lakh from OSAP Commandant, simultaneous raids on

Acting on a tip-off, the Vigilance Department officials on Saturday seized cash over Rs 10 lakh from a Commandant of the Odisha State Armed Police (OASP). 

As per initial reports, the Vigilance officials intercepted Sunil Kumar Behera, Commandant 1st Battalion, Dhenkanal near Madhusudan Setu (CDA side) in Cuttack. Behera was reportedly returning from Dhenkanal to his residence at Cuttack.

Behera was intercepted based on reliable inputs regarding the collection of ill-gotten bribe money, the Vigilance said in a release. Senior officials said that cash of Rs 1.31 lakh was recovered from Behera's possession and he could not provide any satisfactory answer regarding the source of the cash.

Later a search was conducted on Behera's residence in Cuttack and cash to the tune of Rs 8.70 lakh was subsequently recovered. The total cash recovered from Behera is over Rs 10 lakh, the Vigilance said.

The Vigilance officials informed that house searches are continuing at five locations in Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, and Puri by five special teams.