CBI Formally Arrests ‘Graft-Tainted’ Health Officer In Odisha After Unearthing Assets Worth Crores During Raids

Bhubaneswar: After unearthing properties worth crores of rupees during raids on the premises of graft-tainted Dr Rajendra Narayan Panigrahi, a Public Health Officer working at the Paradip Port Health Organisation, the CBI formally arrested him on Friday.

Panigrahi, who was caught while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 54,000 at Paradip, was brought by the central investigating agency to Bhubaneswar on Friday. After interrogating him, the CBI formally arrested the health officer.

Following complaint that the accused had demanded bribe for issuance of port health medical clearance for the crew members of the complainant’s company, CBI laid a trap and caught him while accepting bribe of Rs 54,000, the agency said in a release.

Subsequently, searches were conducted at the premises of the accused at Paradip, Cuttack and Balasore which resulted in recovery of cash of over Rs 17 lakh, USD $20558 and incriminating documents. Certain documents pertaining to five properties at various places in Odisha and Hyderabad were also recovered, it said.

Sources said Panigrahi had demanded over Rs 1 lakh for checking health condition of 70 crew members of a ship and was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 54,000. He had allegedly been collecting money from the crew members for checking their health condition since the outbreak of COVID-19, source said.

Around Rs 1 crore in foreign currency, imported liquors and cigarettes, hard discs and other important documents were seized during the raids.

The arrested accused will be produced before the Court of Special Judge in Bhubaneswar shortly.