Bundles of currency notes were raining in Odisha's Bhubaneswar as a man threw out Rs 500 notes through the window of his apartment. The man was identified as a state government employee, Baikuntha Nath Sarangi, a Chief Engineer with state's Rural Development Department. The whole incident unfolded when the government recovered over Rs 2 crore in cash from him in a case of alleged corruption and disproportionate assets. The rural department's Chief Engineer was under the scanner for a long time.
Rs 2 crore in cash recovered from home
The vigilance sleuths in Odisha recovered over Rs 2 crore in cash and valuable assets from the possession of the government engineer during raids, which are suspected to be disproportionate to his income.
The search operation at the residences and the office of the engineer is underway, they said. "The anti-corruption wing of the Odisha Police raided the residences and the office of Baikuntha Nath Sarangi, Chief Engineer, Plan Roads, RW Division, Odisha, Bhubaneswar," a statement said
Rs 1 crore cash recovered from Bhubaneswar flat
Around Rs 1 crore in cash was recovered from his Bhubaneswar flat, and Rs 1.1 crore was found at Sarangi’s residence at Angul, one of the officials said.
“On seeing the vigilance officers, Sarangi threw bundles of cash in Rs 500 denomination through the window of his flat in Bhubaneswar. The cash was recovered in the presence of witnesses," another official said.
Man accused of possessing assets disproportionate to income
He was accused of possessing assets disproportionate to his income. Simultaneous raids are being conducted as search warrants were issued by Special Judge, Vigilance, Angul. The vigilance team located a two-storeyed residential house at Karadagadia, Angul, and flats in Bhubaneswar and at Siula, Pipili in Puri district, an official said.
Sarangi’s ancestral house and relatives' homes in Angul district were also searched. His office chamber, located at the Chief Engineer, RD Planning and Road, Bhubaneswar, is also being raided.
(With inputs from PTI)
