DA Case: Odisha Vigilance To Take ‘Tainted’ OAS Officer On 5-Day Remand

Rourkela: The Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, in Sundargarh on Wednesday allowed Odisha Vigilance to take former Nabarangpur Additional Sub-Collector Prashanta Rout, accused of amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, on five-day remand.

This came a day after the state government ordered for his compulsory retirement from service.

Over Rs 3 crore unaccounted cash were seized from his residences in Bhubaneswar and Nabarangpur during simultaneously searches by the Vigilance sleuths on June 23. He was arrested the following day for allegedly accumulating over Rs 5 crore assets, 506% of his known sources of income. 

Also Read: Cash Seizure From Addl Sub-Collector Of Nabarangpur 2nd Highest By Odisha Vigilance

Movable and immovable assets worth crores, including a double-storey building at Kanan Vihar here, five plots including four in the prime area of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar and one benami plot at Umerkote in Nabarangpur district, total cash of Rs 3,02,30,800, were unearthed in the name of Rout and his family members. The vigilance team also found bank and insurance deposits over Rs 92.34 lakh, two cars and a two wheeler worth around Rs 37 lakh, gold and silver jewellery and household articles worth over Rs 27.2 lakh.

The OAS officer spent Rs 87 lakh on the education of his children. He also made regular cash deposits in a number of Benami bank accounts.

Also Read: Odisha Officer’s Kin Throws Cash-Stashed Cartons To Neighbour’s Terrace During Vigilance Raid; Rs 3.165 Cr Seized

In this connection, a case was registered against Rout and his spouse under Sections 13(2) r/w 13(1)(b)/12 Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.

Notably, four cases of misconducted is lodged against Rout and departmental inquiry is on.