Over Rs 75K Cash Found Stashed In Executive Engineer’s Refrigerator During Vigilance Raids In Bhubaneswar & Cuttack

Bhubaneswar: Vigilance on Wednesday conducted raids on properties of an executive engineer in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar on the basis of allegation of disproportionate assets to his known sources of income.

Vigilance officials comprising 4 DSPs, 8 inspectors and other staff carried out simultaneous searches in office and houses of Manoj Kumar Behera, Executive Engineer, Drainage Division, Gandarpur, Cuttack.

During searches so far, the following movable and immovable assets have been unearthed:

• Cash Rs 6,17,460, including Rs 75,500 recovered from vegetable tray in refrigerator
• Palatial double-storey building at Mahanadi Vihar, Cuttack constructed over Plot No 1333-P.
• Flat in the name of Debasmita Behera over Plot No.668, Khata No. 352/165 (Utkal Heights Pahala, Bhubaneswar) at mouja Pahala-5, Bhubaneswar. Estimated worth Rs 34.52 lakh.
• Gold jewellery approx 1.53 kg
• Fixed deposits, Bank and Insurance deposits over Rs 31 lakh.

Six plots in prime area of Cuttack, Bhubaneswar are as follows:

– One plot at Chandrasekharpur mouja, Bhubaneswar. Plot No.464, Khata No 504 in the name of Behera, estimated at Rs 19.8 lakh.

– One plot at Mahanadi Vihar, Cuttack vide Plot No.1333-P in the name of Behera. Estimated at Rs 8.64 lakh

– Two plots at Jagamara-38, Bhubaneswar vide plot No.982/6735, Khata No.1133/3116 and plot No. 665/6733, Khata No 1133/3114 in the name of Debasmita Behera (wife). Estimated at Rs 20.9 lakh.

– One plot at mouja Anantapur-8, Bhubaneswar vide plot No.584/1253, Khata No.266/304 in the name of Debasmita Behera worth Rs 12.42 lakh.

– One plot at mouja Bhanapur, Cuttack vide plot No.2484, Khata No.741 in the name of Debasmita Behera. Worth Rs 9.2 lakh.

Valuation of the plots as per Registered Sale Deed comes to Rs 70.94 lakh; however, undervaluation of the plots during registration is suspected. A thorough probe has been initiated in the matter, stated the Vigilance in its release.  Vigilance Technical Wing will carry out detailed measurement and assessment.