Odisha Engineer Arrested on Retirement Day for Alleged Corruption: Shocking Asset Discovery
Major Arrest in Odisha's Vigilance Operation
Bhubaneswar: On the final day of his service, an engineer from the Odisha government was taken into custody for allegedly accumulating wealth that far exceeds his legitimate income, according to state vigilance officials.
His arrest followed the recovery of ₹2.56 crore in cash and the discovery of numerous properties during searches conducted at locations associated with him.
The vigilance team apprehended Baikuntha Nath Sarangi, who served as the Chief Engineer in the Rural Works Department.
During DA searches on Sri Baikuntha Nath Sarangi, Chief Engr, RW, #Odisha, assets incld cash over Rs 2.56 Crores, 2 Multi Storeyed bldgs, 2 Flats, 7 Plots, Deposits Rs. 1.5 Crores, Share investments Rs.2.7 Crores, Gold 1.1 Kg etc. unearthed so far. Interrogation on. pic.twitter.com/hbrGFFjENS
— Odisha Vigilance (@OdishaVigilance) May 31, 2025
Sarangi was set to retire after 34 years of service on May 31 and has been charged under multiple sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
He is expected to appear before the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, in Angul.
The Odisha Police's anti-corruption unit conducted raids at seven locations linked to Sarangi on Friday.
During the operation, he reportedly tried to dispose of bundles of ₹500 notes by throwing them out of his Bhubaneswar flat's window.
Authorities found him in possession of assets including over ₹2.56 crore in cash, two multi-storey buildings, two flats, seven valuable plots, bank deposits totaling ₹1.5 crore, share investments, mutual funds, and insurance worth ₹2.7 crore, along with over 1.141 kilograms of gold and 15 imported wristwatches.
Officials stated that these assets are inconsistent with his known income sources, as he failed to provide adequate documentation to justify the origins of the cash and valuables. The investigation is ongoing.
This cash recovery is noted as the third-largest seizure by the Odisha Vigilance, following a ₹3.41 crore seizure from a former assistant engineer in Ganjam district in 2022 and over ₹3.12 crore from a former additional sub-collector in Nabarangpur in 2023.