Odisha Vigilance Raids College Principal Who Owns Crusher Units & Property Worth Rs 5 Cr

Bhawanipatna: Odisha Vigilance officials on Monday conducted simultaneous raids on houses and property of Ramesh Chandra Sahu, Principal of Hira Nila College at Biswanathpur in Kalahandi, and unearthed property worth over Rs 5 crore.

The property of the Principal also includes three crusher units and two JCBs, among several other possessions listed by the Vigilance so far.

The searches were carried out at five places in Kalahandi and Khurda districts, on the strength of search warrants issued by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Bhawanipatna.

He was found in possession of 26 plots in prime localities of Khurda and Cuttack, all in Sahu’s name. One plot in Kalahandi registered in his wife’s name was also unearthed. The Vigilance team also recovered Rs 1,94,000 cash from Sahu’s Bhubaneswar residence.

The residential house is located at plot no. SB-07 at Arya Palli, Dumduma Housing Board Colony, Bhubaneswar. Another residential house at Biswanathpur, Lanjigarh, Kalahandi. The value of plots has been estimated to be more than Rs 1.77 crore.

His other assets included three crusher units at Khurda and Pokharibandh, near Biswanathpur, Kalahandi; two JCBs, four trucks and tippers, two SUVs, four two-wheelers, three plots and two single-storey houses.

It was also found that he had also cheated people by taking money after promising them jobs in the college. The cases include:

* Allegedly taking Rs 2.5 lakh from complainant for peon post.

* Allegedly taking Rs 1.7 lakh from complainant for sweeper post.

* Allegedly taking Rs 2.75 lakh from complainant for peon post.

* Allegedly taking Rs 2.5 lakh from complainant for peon post.

Following the orders of Sub-Collector, Bhawanipatna, a four-member committee had conducted an inquiry in August 2021 and found that the principal was allegedly involved in a series of financial irregularities in the college.