Vigilance seizes nearly Rs 2cr from govt official during searches | Bhubaneswar News
Koraput: A vigilance team of Jeypore division on Wednesday recovered around Rs 1.98 crore during searches at properties linked to Santanu Kumar Mohapatra, deputy director and project director of watershed in Malkangiri district.
Simultaneous searches were conducted at seven locations connected to Mohapatra in Malkangiri, Jeypore (Koraput district), Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. The raids were led by 2 additional SPs, 4 DSPs, 10 inspectors, and 6 ASIs, along with other support staff.
According to a vigilance release, investigators also uncovered a multi-storey building spanning over 6,000 square feet in Jeypore, a 33 decimal plot in Bhubaneswar’s Hansapal area, two plots in Jeypore, 55 decimals of land in Jeypore, 300 grams of gold, a car, two motorcycles, bank deposits and life insurance policies.
“The measurement and valuation of the seized properties are being conducted by the vigilance technical wing. Assessments of bank accounts, insurance policies, and other investments are also underway,” the release stated.
The searches extended to Mohapatra’s three-storey house in Jeypore and properties belonging to his associates, including assistant engineer Mohan Mandal, data entry operator Abhijit Mandal, and contractual employee Amiya Sahu. The Malkangiri watershed office and Mohapatra’s ancestral house in Nuapada, Cuttack, were also searched.
Mohapatra, who began govt service as a junior soil conservation officer in 1995, was appointed as project director of Malkangiri watershed in Aug 2021. His responsibilities included executing development activities such as pond excavation, distribution of saplings and fish, and fencing projects under water and soil conservation programmes.
Mohapatra was scheduled to retire in Jan 2027. “Once our teams return from the spots, more details can be ascertained,” said a senior officer.
The cash recovery on Wednesday was among the top seven seizures by vigilance leuths over the past three years.
Earlier, vigilance officers seized over Rs 3 crore during searches at properties linked to Prasanta Kumar Rout, additional sub-collector of Nabarangpur district, in June 2023. Similarly, cash exceeding Rs 1.50 crore was recovered during raids against Umesh Chandra Jena, additional director at the directorate of mines, Bhubaneswar, in March 2023.
In April 2022, vigilance officers seized over Rs 3 crore cash during searches at properties linked to Kartikeswar Raul, an assistant engineer (minor irrigation department), posted at Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district.
Simultaneous searches were conducted at seven locations connected to Mohapatra in Malkangiri, Jeypore (Koraput district), Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. The raids were led by 2 additional SPs, 4 DSPs, 10 inspectors, and 6 ASIs, along with other support staff.
According to a vigilance release, investigators also uncovered a multi-storey building spanning over 6,000 square feet in Jeypore, a 33 decimal plot in Bhubaneswar’s Hansapal area, two plots in Jeypore, 55 decimals of land in Jeypore, 300 grams of gold, a car, two motorcycles, bank deposits and life insurance policies.
“The measurement and valuation of the seized properties are being conducted by the vigilance technical wing. Assessments of bank accounts, insurance policies, and other investments are also underway,” the release stated.
The searches extended to Mohapatra’s three-storey house in Jeypore and properties belonging to his associates, including assistant engineer Mohan Mandal, data entry operator Abhijit Mandal, and contractual employee Amiya Sahu. The Malkangiri watershed office and Mohapatra’s ancestral house in Nuapada, Cuttack, were also searched.
Mohapatra, who began govt service as a junior soil conservation officer in 1995, was appointed as project director of Malkangiri watershed in Aug 2021. His responsibilities included executing development activities such as pond excavation, distribution of saplings and fish, and fencing projects under water and soil conservation programmes.
Mohapatra was scheduled to retire in Jan 2027. “Once our teams return from the spots, more details can be ascertained,” said a senior officer.
The cash recovery on Wednesday was among the top seven seizures by vigilance leuths over the past three years.
Earlier, vigilance officers seized over Rs 3 crore during searches at properties linked to Prasanta Kumar Rout, additional sub-collector of Nabarangpur district, in June 2023. Similarly, cash exceeding Rs 1.50 crore was recovered during raids against Umesh Chandra Jena, additional director at the directorate of mines, Bhubaneswar, in March 2023.
In April 2022, vigilance officers seized over Rs 3 crore cash during searches at properties linked to Kartikeswar Raul, an assistant engineer (minor irrigation department), posted at Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district.
