Odisha Vigilance Arrests Chief Engineer Of RW Circle For Amassing Assets More Than Income

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance on Saturday arrested Chief Construction Engineer, Rural Works Circle, Balasore, N V Harihara Rao for allegedly possessing huge assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Vigilance sources said the arrest was made based on searches conducted on properties of Rao on Friday. He was found in possession of assets including Rs 46.45 lakh cash, unearthed from his brother-in-law’s house at Berhampur, 2 buildings, one 3-BHK Flat, 2 suspected benami flats in Bhubaneswar and Berhampur, 5 high value homestead plots, deposits/investments of Rs 3.42 crore, 510 grams gold etc, which he could not explain satisfactorily.

Simultaneous house searches were conducted by teams comprising 11 DSPs, 7 inspectors, 11 ASIs, and other supporting staff on the strength of search warrants issued by Special Judge, Vigilance, Bhubaneswar, at 11 places in Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Balasore, Keonjhar, and Phulbani.

During the raid, Rs 46.45 lakh in cash was found in the house of his brother-in-law, a government doctor posted at Berhampur Jail.

Assets unearthed in the name of Rao and his family members are as follows:

1. A double-storey building over 2100 sqft area at Bhabinipur, Berhampur.
2. One building over 3000 sqft area at Patrapada, Bhubaneswar.
3. One 3-BHK flat at Spectrum Green Apartment, Baidyanathpur, Kamapalli, Berhampur.
4. 2 suspected Benami flats, one at Orchid Residency, Sundarpada, Bhubaneswar, and another at Swastik Apartment, Baidyanathnagar, Berhampur. Ownership being verified.
5. 4 high-value homestead plots, including 2 in Bhubaneswar and 1 in Berhampur.
6. Bank deposits over Rs 1.11 crore.
7. Rs 46.45 lakh in cash
8. 1 four-wheeler and 1 two-wheeler.

The measurement and valuation/assessment of the buildings/flat/plots are being carried out by Vigilance Technical Wing. Source of the huge cash seized from his brother-in-law’s house is also being verified. Other deposits and investments are being ascertained. A locker at SBI, Berhampur branch, in name of his spouse is still to be opened, it added.

The raids were conducted at these following places:

1) Double-storey building at Bhabinipur, Berhampur.
2) Single-storey building at Patrapada, Bhubaneswar.
3) 3 BHK Flat at Spectrum Green Apartment Flat No. 205, 1st Floor, Baidyanathpur, Kamapalli, Berhampur.
4) Paternal house at Olenbatch Nagar, Phulbani.
5) Office chamber at RW Circle, Balasore.
6) Govt quarters of at RW Circle Campus, Balasore.
7) His office chamber at RW Circle, Keonjhar.
8) Residential quarters at the RW Campus, Keonjhar.
9) House of his relative at Tulasi Nagar, Berhampur.
10) House of his relative t Shanti Nagar, Berhampur.
11) House of his associate at Baldevjew Colony, Keonjhar.