Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown on corruption, Odisha Vigilance has seized ₹2.06 crore in cash during raids at multiple locations linked to Santanu Mohapatra, Deputy Director & Project Director, Watershed, Malkangiri. The seizure is among the highest cash recoveries in the history of Odisha Vigilance.
The simultaneous searches were conducted at seven locations across Malkangiri, Cuttack, and Bhubaneswar, uncovering movable and immovable assets worth several crores, including a triple-storeyed residential building, four high-value plots, gold jewelry, luxury vehicles, and significant bank and insurance deposits. The searches were carried out based on allegations that Mohapatra amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The ₹2.06 crore cash recovery includes ₹1.98 crore found in the possession of Santanu Mohapatra, ₹6.92 lakh from Biswajit Mandal, Data Entry Operator, PD Watershed, Malkangiri, ₹1.19 lakh from Mohan Mandal, Assistant Agriculture Engineer, PD Watershed, Malkangiri, and ₹81,600 from Amiyakanta Sahu, Contractual Staff, PD Watershed, Malkangiri. Apart from cash, 422.44 grams of gold jewelry, ₹91.10 lakh in bank and insurance deposits, one four-wheeler, two two-wheelers, and household items worth over ₹29.08 lakh were also found. The Vigilance Technical Wing is currently assessing the value of the four high-value plots in Bhubaneswar and Jeypore, along with the 4600 sq. ft. residential building.
The extensive raids were conducted by seven teams of Odisha Vigilance comprising two Additional SPs, four DSPs, ten Inspectors, six ASIs, and other supporting staff on the strength of search warrants issued by the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Jeypore. Further interrogation is underway to ascertain the exact sources of the unearthed assets, and more recoveries are expected as searches continue.
Mohapatra, who has served in undivided Koraput and Ganjam districts for nearly three decades, started his career as a Junior Soil Conservation Officer in 1995 and gradually climbed the ranks to become Deputy Director, Soil Conservation cum Project Director, Watershed, Malkangiri, in 2021. His tenure across Khordha, Malkangiri, Koraput, Ganjam, and Gajapati is now under scrutiny as part of the investigation.
With today’s recovery, Odisha Vigilance has marked one of its biggest cash seizures in history, highlighting the extent of financial irregularities within the state’s administrative machinery.
