Odishatv Bureau

Cuttack: The Vigilance sleuths today seized cash worth Rs 2,14,750 from the official vehicle of IAS officer and Managing Director of Odisha Small Industries Corporation (OSIC) Partha Sarathi Mishra.

The anti-corruption officials later conducted simultaneous raid on the government quarters of Mishra, his office in Cuttack and his residence.

Talking to media persons, Mishra said he has been implicated in a false case. “I was at a meeting of OSIC. Everyone here knows that after the meeting, I entered into my car. I don’t know who had kept the money inside my car. This is a conspiracy of some corrupt people in this office who are trying to get rid of me as I want to bring reforms in the functioning of OSIC,” he added.

Asked about the claim of the Vigilance that the cash seized from his official vehicle was a bribe, Mishra said how the Vigilance officials can claim this since they have not recovered the cash from his possession. I have not demanded money from no one. “I will take legal recourse to prove my innocence.

Talking to media persons, Swarup Parida, SP, Vigilance Cell, said the Vigilance officials had conducted secret verification on several allegations of corruption against Mishra since last six months. “Today we got conclusive information that he is taking money with him in his government car (OR-05-AU-4399). Acting on the information, we planned accordingly and seized the cash from his vehicle. In this connection, we have conducted simultaneous raid on his private residence at Ranihat in Cuttack, his government quarters in Bhubaneswar and his office in Cuttack. The raids are still continuing and further investigation is underway,” Parida said.

He further said there were allegations that Mishra had taken huge bribe from the contractors.

Asked to name the persons from whom the OSIC MD has taken bribe, Additional SP, Vigilance Radhakrishnan said the investigation is underway. “We can tell you after the investigation is over,” he pointed out.

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