Odisha govt engineer arrested in disproportionate assets case

Bhubaneswar, June 1 (IANS) The Odisha Vigilance on Sunday arrested one Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) of the Roads and Buildings (R&B) division, a department within the state Works Department, for amassing huge assets disproportionate to his known sources of income by 119 per cent.

On the allegation of possession of assets disproportionate to the known sources of income, simultaneous house searches were conducted on the properties of N. Dillip Kumar Choudhury, AEE, R &B Division-I, Berhampur, on Saturday at four places in Bhubaneswar and Berhampur. As many as four teams of Odisha Vigilance, comprising three Deputy Superintendents of Police, seven Inspectors, and other supporting staff, conducted the search on the strength of Search Warrants issued by the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Berhampur.

The anti-corruption sleuths unearthed huge assets possessed by Choudhury and family members during the searches. The properties include one multi-storeyed building worth Rs 1 crore, two flats in posh localities in Bhubaneswar and Berhampur worth around Rs 1.5 crore, 11 landed plots in Berhampur and adjoining areas valued over Rs 2 crore, bank and insurance deposits to the tune of over Rs 29 lakh, etc.

“After a thorough search, inventory and further enquiry, the income, expenditure and assets of N. Dillip Kumar Choudhury, Asst. Executive Engineer, R&B Division-I, Berhampur, was calculated and he was found in possession of disproportionate assets which were 119 per cent in excess of his known sources of income,” informed a vigilance official on Sunday.

It is pertinent here to mention that several state government officials, especially engineers, have been arrested by the Vigilance over graft charges and for acquiring ill-got properties worth crores, of late. The seizure of cash to the tune of over Rs 2.5 crore during the conduct of house searches at various places related to Baikuntha Nath Sarangi, Chief Engineer, Plan Roads, Rural Works Department, on Friday caught the attention of the state as well as the nation.

--IANS

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