Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance on Saturday arrested Prasanjit Das, Superintending Engineer of Mahanadi Northern Division, Jagatpur, Kataka, following seizure of over unaccounted cash to the tune of Rs 21.88 lakh from his possession and house.
Acting on a tip off about collection of bribes from various contractors, a Vigilance team intercepted Das late in the night near AG Chowk in Bhubaneswar while he was travelling in his officially hired vehicle.
During the initial interception on the road, Vigilance officials recovered suspected ill-gotten cash to the tule of Rs 7,28,620 directly from his possession inside the vehicle.
Following his immediate detention, simultaneous search operations were launched early Friday morning across multiple locations linked to the officer.
A thorough search at his rented flat (D-401, Trident Galaxy, Ghatikia, Bhubaneswar) yielded an additional Rs 14,60,000 in cash. Vigilance teams also searched his ancestral property located in Baragada district.
As Das failed to provide a satisfactory explanation or valid documentation regarding the source of the total Rs 21,88,620 seized, the entire amount was confiscated under law.
The anti-corruption agency has registered a case—Bhubaneswar Vigilance PS Case No. 24 dated 16.10.2026—under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018). Das has been forwarded to court.
Vigilance said Das entered government service as Assistant Executive Engineer (Civil), O/o EIC, WR, Bhubaneswar 18.03.2016 with initial salary approximately Rs.25,000/- per month. Posted as AEE, Designs, Odisha, Bhubaneswar on 10.06.2016. He continued there, and on transfer was posted as AEE, Canal Sub-Divn, Bargada on 31.12.2021 and joined on 10.01.2022. Promoted as Executive Engineer and posted to Gangadhar Meher Lift Irrigation Division-I, Bijepur on 29.07.2022. Again, he was posted as SE, Mahanadi North Division, Kataka (Water Resources, Jagatpur) on promotion on 05.06.2026 and joined on 10.06.2026. He has been continuing as such to date.