Odisha Vigilance Arrests Irrigation Asst Engineer With 6 Buildings Worth Crores, 5 High-Value Plots

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Vigilance on Thursday arrested Prasannna Kumar Swain, Assistant Engineer (civil), Bhanjanagar Irrigation Division in Ganjam, for allegedly accumulating assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

He was found in possession of 6 multi-storey buildings, including one worth Rs.2.4 crore and another worth Rs 2.3 crore, 5 high-value homestead plots, deposits over Rs 23.94 lakh, 200 gram worth gold, which he could not account for satisfactorily, the Vigilance said in a statement.

“Following which, Swain was arrested and will be forwarded to the court today,” it added.

Details of the assets unearthed

1. One four-storey building over 10,400 sqft area worth Rs 2.4 crore at Tulsinagar, Berhampur.
2. Another four-storey residential building over 9565 sqft area worth Rs 2.3 crore at Bagdevi Road, Bhejiput road, Bhanjanagar.
3. One triple-storey building over 3118 sqft area at Bagdevi road, Bhejiput, Bhanjanagar.
4. Another triple-storey building over 4000 sqft area located at Bhanajanagar.
5. Double-storey under construction building over 5850 sqft area at Word No.6 NAC, Bhanjanagar.
6. Swain renovated and reconstructed his paternal house into a double-storey structure spread over 1130 sqft area at Luduludi under Bhanjanagar PS, Ganjam.
7. Five high-value home stead plots (1 in Berhampur and 4 in and around Bhanjanagar).
8. Gold ornaments weighing 200 grams.
9. Bank, Postal & Insurance deposits worth Rs 23,94,370.
10. 1 two wheeler and household articles worth Rs 5.63 lakh

Swain is a native of Bhanjanagar, Ganjam. He was appointed as contractual Junior Engineer and posted to Lower Indra Canal division, Khariar, on Octiober 15, 2003. He continued there for 7 years till August 18, 2010.  He had been posted in his home district in the Irrigation Division for the last 14 years. He was promoted to the rank of Assistant Engineer in 2013.