Anti-Smuggling Guard With Unaccounted Assets Worth Over Rs 1.4 Cr Arrested In Odisha’s Balasore

Balasore: Vigilance officials on Saturday arrested an anti-smuggling guard in a disproportionate assets case in Odisha’s Balasore district.

Following the allegation of possession of assets disproportionate to known sources of income by Janardan Palei, anti-smuggling guard in the office of Civil Supplies Officer (CSO), Balasore and posted at Rice Receiving Centre (RRC)-cum-District Storage Centre (DSC) in Jaleswar of the district, Vigilance conducted simultaneous house searches at 5 places in Balasore and Ganjam districts on Friday.

During house searches, the following movable and immovable assets worth over Rs 1.4 crore were unearthed in the name of Palei:

• 12 plots including 11 in prime area of Jaleswar and 1 plot in Chhatrapur worth about Rs 15.18 lakh
• Double-storey building at Jaleswar worth Rs 40 lakh
• Chandan Hotel at Nahanajore Mauza in Jaleswar worth over Rs 13.57 lakh
• Postal, bank and insurance deposits worth over Rs 55.16 lakh
• Cash, gold jewelry and household articles worth over Rs 10.4 lakh

After thorough search, inventory and further enquiry, Palei was found in possession of disproportionate assets which constituted 226% of his known sources of income. As Palei could not account for the assets satisfactorily, he was arrested. Balasore Vigilance has filed a case against him under PC Act, 1988 and forwarded him to court.