Following reliable information regarding the illegal laterite stone quarry at Batabara village under Byree police station in Jajpur district, a joint forest raid was conducted by the Forest Wing of Odisha Vigilance.

During the raid, one truck and 3 power tiller machines along with fresh cut laterite stones were seized. Vigilance has registered three cases in this connection in Dalijoda Range under Cuttack Forest Division for violation of Odisha Minor Mineral Concession Rule-2016.

In another operation on an illegal sawmill at Mouda village under Mahanga police station in Cuttack district, sawmill accessories along with 32.27 cft of valuable timber were seized.

The sawmill was running without any valid licence, violating the Orissa Sawmill and Sawpit (Control) Act-1991. In this connection, the Vigilance has registered a case in Dalijoda Range under Cuttack Forest Division.

The value of seized sawmill accessories, vehicles, minor minerals and timbers was estimated to be Rs 17,27,090.

A Vigilance release said that the traffic inspector failed to provide a satisfactory account for the cash recovered from him.

Subsequently, raids were carried out at his rented house at Talcher in Angul district and house at Astarang in Puri district, which is continuing, to ascertain whether he had accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. While Rs 3.09 lakh in cash and 336 gm gold were found at his Talcher residence, another Rs 10 lakh was recovered from Astarang.

The total cash seizure has been put at around Rs 24.24 lakh.

The release further said that searches are also on at his brother’s house at Paradip. The officer is also being questioned to ascertain the sources of the cash recovered so far.

He was earlier arrested and disengaged from service for forgery and issuing fake approval letters of building plans to applicants.

Here’s details of assets detected during the searches:

1) A triple-storey building with area approx 7000 sqft at Burla, Sambalpur, worth Rs 1.30 crore.

2) 5 plots in and around Burla town.

3) Rs 90,290 in cash

4) 2 four-wheelers (Honda City & Maruti Vitara Breeza) and one two-wheeler (Hornet).

The measurement and valuation/assessment of the buildings/plots is being carried out by Vigilance Technical Wing. Bank, postal, insurance and other deposits are also under verification.

The searches were conducted at Qr. No. E-4/7, Old SBI Park Line, Burla; newly-constructed triple-storey building at Kantapali Mouza, Burla, and his office chamber at SDA, Durgapali, Sambalpur.

While he was found carrying Rs 2.70 lakh, another Rs 1,80,000 was recovered from his office chamber at Boipariguda police station and Rs 3 lakh from his government quarters at Boipariguda during searches. Cash bundles of Rs 500 and other denominations worth Rs 29.77 lakh were found in his quarters at Police Line, Buxi Bazaar, Cuttack, a Vigilance release said, adding that the IIC could not give any satisfactory reply about the source of the money.

Total cash seized: Rs 37,27,000

Rs 2.70 lakh from his possession.

Rs 1.80 lakh from his Office chamber at Baipariguda PS.

Rs 3 lakh from his official quarter at Baipariguda.

Rs 29.77 lakh from his official govt quarter at Buxi Bazar, Cuttack.

The IIC has been detained at Jeypore Vigilance Office and is being questioned in connection with the cash recoveries. Searches are continuing, it added.

The GRS had allegedly demanded the illegal gratification from a job card holder to prepare the muster roll and ensure payment to him and other job card holders in connection with work done under MGNREG scheme in the district, a Vigilance release said.

The entire bribe money was recovered from Panigrahy and seized. Following the trap, raids are being carried out at one localtion linked to her from disproportionate asset angle. A case under Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, has also been registered against her in Koraput, it added.

Following a complaint by an Anganwadi worker that Rajeswari Rajkumari Nag, Anganwadi supervisor of Kodinga Sector under Kosagumuda ICDS was demanding bribe of Rs 5,400 towards payment already made for toys, food and nourishment bills meant for Anganwadi Centres, the Vigilance set a trap.

As per the plan the complainant went to give the bribe to Nag. The Vigilance sleuths nabbed the Anganwadi supervisor while accepting it. The entire bribe money was recovered from Nag and seized.

Following the trap, the Vigilance conducted simultaneous searches on the Nag’s properties at two locations from DA angle.

Koraput Vigilance has registered a case under PC Amendment Act, 2018 in this connection. Further investigation is in going on

The accused, Jadumani Majhi, had demanded the illegal gratification from a Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (PMAY) beneficiary for online geotagging of his house completed under the scheme and recommending release of final house completion bill as well as for facilitating bonus in his favour for completion of house under MGNREG scheme within stipulated time, a Vigilance release said.

The entire bribe money has been recovered from Majhi and seized.

While a case has been registered under Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, simultaneous searches are on at two locations of the GRS to ascertain whether he has accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, the release added.

The RI, Ramakanta Behera, had demanded the illegal gratification from the complainant to submit an enquiry report in a partition suit filed by him for issuing separate RoRs (pattas). The entire bribe amount was recovered from him and seized, a vigilance release said.

While a case has been registered at Cuttack Vigilance police station under Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, simultaneous searches are on at two locations linked Behera to ascertain whether he had accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, it added.

The accused has been identified as Soumya Ranjan Dash, ASO (Asst. Section Officer) in the office of Engineer In Chief, Water Resources Department, Odisha, Bhubaneswar.

The accused ASO has been apprehended by Odisha Vigilance while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs. 5000/- from a complainant for processing his house building loan file for sanction of loan amount, said reports on Tuesday.

The entire bribe money has been recovered from exclusive possession of Soumya Ranjan Dash and seized. Following the trap reportedly, simultaneous searches are going on at two locations of Dash from Disproportionate Assets (DA) angle.

In this connection, Bhubaneswar Vigilance PS Case no 23/2023 U/s-7PC Amendment Act, 2018 has been registered. Investigation is in progress against the accused ASO Dash.

A detailed report is this regard is awaited in this matter.

According to sources, simultaneous searches are on at four places in Nayagarh and Balugaon.

During the ongoing raids, 2 buildings, 6 plots,  Rs.1.35 lakh cash, over 300 gms of gold along with other assets have so far been unearthed.

During house searches so far, the following assets have been unearthed in the name of the Excise ASI and his family members;

1) A double storeyed building at Nayagarh old town with total area of approx 3,000 sqft

2) Another double storeyed building at Nayagarh old town

3) 6 plots in and around Nayagarh town. Details are given below:

i) A piece of land measuring area Ac 0.015 decimal vide plot No.453/454, Khata No.1219/2387 at mouza Chahali, Nayagarh.

ii) A piece of land measuring area Ac 0.12 decimal vide plots No.108/1624, 108/1625 & 108/1626 respectively under Khata No.272/220 at mouza Chahali, Nayagarh.

iii) A piece of land vide plot No.318/319, Khata No.233 at mouza Nayagarh town.

iv) A piece of land measuring area of Ac 1.21 decimal vide plot No.201, Khata No.134/3 at mouza Jagannathhpur, Nayagarh.

The measurement and valuation/assessment of the above buildings/ plots is being carried out by Vigilance Technical Wing.

4) Cash Rs.1,35,520/-.

5) Gold jewellery approx 300 gms.

6) 1 four-wheeler (Mahindra Bolero) and 3 two wheelers.

7) Bank, Insurance and other deposits are under verification.

Searches are continuing and further details are awaited.