Bhubaneswar, April 1 (IANS) The Odisha Vigilance, on Wednesday, arrested a senior official of the Odisha Police Housing and Welfare Corporation (OPHWC), who was found possessing huge assets, including cash worth Rs 48.79 lakh and gold weighing more than 1 kg during house searches in connection with a bribery case.

The accused officer identified as Bidyut Ranjan Bhol is currently posted as the Deputy Manager at OPHWC’s Sambalpur Division.

Speaking to media persons, P.K. Dwibedi, Superintendent of Police (Vigilance) of Sambalpur Division, said that the accused official Bidyut Ranjan had been under scanner as the Vigilance department was getting regular complaints that he was collecting money from the contractors to clear the pending bills.

The Vigilance officials also received intelligence that Bidyut Ranjan was planning to go to his home along with the bribe money during March-end.

Later, the Vigilance department initiated an investigation and ascertained that the allegations made against Bidyut Ranjan are prima facie true.

Subsequently, the Vigilance department moved to the court seeking permission to initiate action against him.

“Meanwhile, on Tuesday, we suddenly received a tip-off that Bidyut Ranjan along with bribe money collected from contractors, was leaving for his official quarters at Rasulgrah in Bhubaneswar, where his family is residing. Acting on the tip-off, we deployed special vigilance team, which intercepted the vehicle of Bidyut Ranjan on his way to the junction near Sambalpur Railway station on Tuesday,” the Vigilance SP said.

During search, the police officers found cash worth more than Rs 5,18,900 from the possession of Bidyut Ranjan.

Later, the cops searched his office and rental accommodation and seized several incriminating materials.

Following the interception, simultaneous searches were launched at multiple locations linked to Bidyut Ranjan, including his native and relative’s houses in Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar and Bhanjanagar (Ganjam).

He and his family are also found in possession of two multi-storeyed buildings, one flat in Bhubaneswar, 29 plots in Jatni, Berhampur and other locations, gold weighing 1.14 kg, including six gold coins and two gold biscuits.

During the house searches, the Vigilance officials recovered cash worth Rs 48,79,100 (including Rs 35 lakh stashed in trunk at his elder sister’s house) and deposits worth Rs 30 lakh.

The Vigilance officials arrested the accused Bidyut Ranjan on Wednesday by registering a case at Sambalpur Vigilance Police Station under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018.

–IANS

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