Record Cash Seizure by Odisha Vigilance Department: Over Rs 4 Crore Found

Major Cash Discovery in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, Feb 25: In a significant operation, the Vigilance Department of Odisha has reported its largest cash seizure to date, uncovering more than Rs 4 crore from the residence of Debabrata Mohanty, the Deputy Director of Mines for the Cuttack Circle.

Mohanty was arrested on Tuesday night after being accused of accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 from a licensed coal vendor, which was intended to facilitate the uninterrupted operation of the vendor's coal depot and to authorize coal transportation.

Following his arrest, Vigilance officials conducted coordinated searches at various locations associated with Mohanty, including his flat in Shree Vihar, Patia, his family home in Mathasahi, Bhadrak, and his office in Cuttack, to investigate potential disproportionate assets.

During these searches, officials discovered cash exceeding Rs 4 crore hidden in trolley bags and almirahs within his Bhubaneswar flat. The counting of the cash is currently in progress to ascertain the precise total.

This operation marks the highest cash seizure recorded by the Odisha Vigilance Department.

Additionally, Rs 1.20 lakh was found and confiscated from Mohanty's office drawer and personal belongings.

In terms of assets, the Vigilance officials have also identified a lavish two-story building spanning approximately 2,400 sq ft located in Pahala, Bhubaneswar, along with gold ornaments weighing around 130 grams.

A case has been filed against Mohanty under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, at the Bhubaneswar Vigilance Police Station.

It is noteworthy that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed the State Assembly on Monday that the Vigilance Department has initiated 416 cases against government officials and employees for bribery, financial misconduct, and possession of disproportionate assets from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2025.