Vig searches at transport official’s properties unearth ‘illegal’ assets worth crores | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: Vigilance sleuths on Thursday unearthed suspected disproportionate assets (DA) worth crores during searches at multiple properties allegedly belonging to Pradeep Kumar Mohanty (60), deputy transport commissioner (road safety) who is due to retire next month.
Among the assets seized were 1kg of gold and Rs 15 lakh in cash, which included withdrawn Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes. Even though the exact value of seized assets is yet to be ascertained, officials estimate it could be close to Rs 7 crore.
Searches were conducted in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Khurda and Nayagarh by separate vigilance teams. The anti-corruption team’s search at his three-storeyed building in Maitree Vihar area unearthed three gold biscuits of 100gm each and gold ornaments weighing about 700gm.
“Besides, we found Rs 15 lakh cash, including Rs 2,000 notes worth more than Rs 50,000. We found evidence that he recently paid Rs 1 crore to a builder to purchase a 4BHK flat in Raghunathpur area of Bhubaneswar,” a senior vigilance officer said.
Officials discovered a five-storeyed under-construction building at Gobindaprasad in Khurda. They also found a suspected benami property, a three-storeyed under-construction building on 7,500 sqft, at Balukhand in Puri district.
“He owns a farmhouse spread over 14 acres at Kusupalla in Nayagarh. At least 11 high-value plots in Bhubaneswar, Khurda and Ranapur (in Nayagarh) in Mohanty’s name and his kin have also been unearthed. The measurement and valuation of the buildings, plots and farmhouse are being carried out by our technical wing,” the vigilance officer said, adding that his family also owns three luxury cars.
The vigilance team suspects that the deputy transport commissioner acquired illegal assets during his stints as a motor vehicle inspector (MVI) and regional transport officer (RTO). Mohanty, who began his govt service as a junior MVI on Nov 9, 1990, served as an MVI in Bhubaneswar, Chandikhole, Angul and Cuttack between 2006 and 2012. He was later employed as an RTO in Nayagarh in 2014 and in Bhubaneswar in 2016.
Among the assets seized were 1kg of gold and Rs 15 lakh in cash, which included withdrawn Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes. Even though the exact value of seized assets is yet to be ascertained, officials estimate it could be close to Rs 7 crore.
Searches were conducted in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Khurda and Nayagarh by separate vigilance teams. The anti-corruption team’s search at his three-storeyed building in Maitree Vihar area unearthed three gold biscuits of 100gm each and gold ornaments weighing about 700gm.
“Besides, we found Rs 15 lakh cash, including Rs 2,000 notes worth more than Rs 50,000. We found evidence that he recently paid Rs 1 crore to a builder to purchase a 4BHK flat in Raghunathpur area of Bhubaneswar,” a senior vigilance officer said.
Officials discovered a five-storeyed under-construction building at Gobindaprasad in Khurda. They also found a suspected benami property, a three-storeyed under-construction building on 7,500 sqft, at Balukhand in Puri district.
“He owns a farmhouse spread over 14 acres at Kusupalla in Nayagarh. At least 11 high-value plots in Bhubaneswar, Khurda and Ranapur (in Nayagarh) in Mohanty’s name and his kin have also been unearthed. The measurement and valuation of the buildings, plots and farmhouse are being carried out by our technical wing,” the vigilance officer said, adding that his family also owns three luxury cars.
The vigilance team suspects that the deputy transport commissioner acquired illegal assets during his stints as a motor vehicle inspector (MVI) and regional transport officer (RTO). Mohanty, who began his govt service as a junior MVI on Nov 9, 1990, served as an MVI in Bhubaneswar, Chandikhole, Angul and Cuttack between 2006 and 2012. He was later employed as an RTO in Nayagarh in 2014 and in Bhubaneswar in 2016.
