Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance has made a significant seizure today, unearthing three gold biscuits, gold ornaments, and a staggering Rs 15 lakh in cash from the properties of Pradeep Kumar Mohanty, Deputy Commissioner of the State Transport Authority (STA).
The raids were sparked by allegations of Mohanty possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Earlier in the day, vigilance sleuths conducted simultaneous house searches at nine locations across the state in connection with allegations of disproportionate assets against Mohanty.
The searches are being led by two Additional Superintendents of Police, 13 Deputy Superintendents of Police, 12 Inspectors, 25 Assistant Sub-Inspectors, and other supporting staff.
According to a release issued by the Vigilance Department, the residential properties being searched include his homes at Maitri Vihar in Bhubaneswar, a four BHK flat at Raghunathpur in Bhubaneswar, and a house at Tangi in Khordha.
Besides, a petrol pump in the name of his relative at Malipada in Bhubaneswar and a building under construction at Balikhand in Puri are also being searched.
That apart, vigilance raids are being carried out at his office in Cuttack, a farmhouse at Kusupalla in Ranapur in Nayagarh, a five-storey under-construction building at Govindaprasad in Bhubaneswar, and a house of his relative at Bhakti Ratna Lane in Puri town.
The searches are being conducted on the strength of search warrants issued by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Bhubaneswar. The search operations are currently in progress, and further updates are awaited.
