Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance intercepted an Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) of Drainage Division in Kendrapada with Rs 3.15 lakh cash, suspected to be ill-gotten money.
Vigilance said in a statement that the cash was unearthed while she was on her way home from office on Saturday.
Subsequently, Vigilance sleuths recovered another Rs four lakh in cash during ongoing search at the residence of Sahoo following her interception, taking the total cash seized from her possession and premises to Rs 7.15 lakh.
Acting on reliable information regarding alleged collection of bribes from contractors for clearing pending bills, a Vigilance team intercepted Sahoo, at Marshaghai Crossing on NH-53A.
Sahoo was intercepted while travelling from her office to her residential house at Nayanvihar in Kendrapada in an official vehicle bearing registration number OD-29-S-6644, the Vigilance said.
During the interception, officials recovered Rs 3,15,000 in cash from her possession. As she could not satisfactorily explain the source of the cash, the amount, along with the vehicle, was seized.
Following the seizure, Odisha Vigilance launched searches at her office and residential premises as part of an inquiry into the alleged possession of assets disproportionate to known sources of income. Further, Rs four lakh cash was recovered during search at her residence. With this the total cash recovery comes to Rs 7,15,000/-. She is being examined to ascertain the source of such huge cash. Searches are continuing.
The engineer is being interrogated to ascertain the source of the recovered cash and further details are awaited, the Vigilance said.