Cuttack (Odisha) [India], June 7 (ANI): Odisha Vigilance officials have arrested an Assistant Executive Engineer posted at the ITDA office in Baliguda, Kandhamal district, over allegations of possessing assets far beyond his known sources of income.

According to Vigilance authorities, simultaneous raids were conducted on June 6 at nine locations linked to the engineer, including his residence, office, and properties associated with relatives.

During the searches, officials reportedly uncovered six buildings, fourteen plots of land, around 552 grams of gold, bank deposits worth approximately Rs 45 lakh, and cash exceeding Rs 2 crore.

The accused, identified as Baikuntha Nath Behera, was arrested and produced before the court following the raids.

Vigilance officials stated that Behera joined government service as a Junior Engineer in 1999 with a monthly salary of roughly Rs 6,000. His current take-home salary is said to be around Rs 80,000 per month.

Authorities suspect the assets were accumulated through illegal means, though the investigation is ongoing to determine the exact source of the wealth.

Earlier in February, Odisha Vigilance recovered Rs 4 crore in cash from the residence of the Deputy Director of Mines, Cuttack Circle, who has also been apprehended, an official statement said.

The vigilance department said it is the highest ever cash seizure in their department so far.

'Following apprehension of Sri Debabrata Mohanty, Deputy Director of Mines, Cuttack Circle, Cuttack, yesterday night for taking a bribe Rs.30,000 from a licensed coal vendor, simultaneous house searches were initiated by Odisha Vigilance at his residential flat, parental house at Mathasahi, Bhadrak and his office chamber at Cuttack. During ongoing searches, cash over Rs 4 crore concealed in trolley bags and in almirahs has been unearthed from his flat at BBSR and seized,' Vigilance said.

Further investigation is underway. (ANI)