By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 12, 2024: A month-long crackdown by the Vigilance on high-ranking officials has exposed too many chinks in the armor of top administrators in the state. The latest raid was on Monday at the house of Tara Prasad Mishra, former Chief Engineer of Roads and Building, who was found to be in possession of bank deposits totaling ₹2.7 crore and gold ornaments weighing 1.5 kg.

When Vigilance officials arrived at Mishra’s residence in the morning, they were astounded by the extensive properties accumulated by the retired engineer. Investigations revealed that he and his family members had purchased high-value apartments in Bhubaneswar and Jharsuguda, located in prime areas and developed by top real estate companies. Besides, seven pieces of land were traced in upscale areas of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Jatani.

Digging deeper, the anti-corruption bureau traced to Mishra properties vastly disproportionate to the means of a State government employee. According to the Vigilance Directorate, bank deposits of over ₹2.7 crore, approximately 1.5 kg of gold and cash over ₹6 lakh were found.

The former engineer had collected foreign currencies from the U.S., Thailand, Vietnam, UAE, Canada, Mexico, Malaysia and Singapore. He was found to have spent ₹80 lakh towards his daughter’s medical education. Besides, two luxury cars — a Mercedes Benz and a KIA Seltos — and branded wrist watches including a Rolex watch worth approximately ₹13 lakh were traced. The Vigilance Directorate was ascertainin deposits and investments in shares and mutual funds.

In the past month, vigilance searches at the premises of four senior engineers of the chief engineer level and two Odisha Administrative Service officials’ uncovered nearly 300 immovable properties, including over 250 parcels of land.

On August 2, the anti-corruption bureau had discovered 105 pieces of land in Odisha and West Bengal belonging to Pravas Kumar Pradhan, Chief Construction Engineer of Anandpur Barrage Division. In the same week, as many as 42 plots were uncovered in five different districts belonging to Pradeep Kumar Rath, Additional Chief Engineer of Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation. He had started job with salary of ₹2,000 per month.

Searches last month showed Sunil Kumar Rout, chief construction engineer of Lower Suktel Project, Balangir, had amassed two multi-storeyed buildings in Bhubaneswar, three flats in Puri and Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) and 34 pieces of land, including one farmhouse spread over eight acres.

Similarly, Rama Chandra Mishra, Joint Commissioner of Excise, was arrested for possessing 52 plots apart from six multi-storeyed buildings and two apartments. Pradeep Kumar Sahu, Block Development Officer of Athagarh, had bought high valued properties in Bhubaneswar and Nayagarh.