Odisha: Corrupt engineer who amassed several properties arrested

Bhubaneswar: Odisha vigilance department on Saturday arrested Pravas Kumar Pradhan, chief construction engineer, Anandpur Barrage project (Keonjhar) in connection with a disproportionate assets case.

The development comes after it was found that the chief construction engineer was in possession of 85 plots, besides other multiple properties like buildings and flats.

Senior Vigilance officials informed that the chief construction engineer was produced before the court and later remanded in judicial custody. He was arrested after he was found in possession of disproportionate assets including a five-storeyed building, 1 market complex, 335 grams of gold, deposits to the tune of Rs 78 lakh, Rs 11.7 lakh cash during a raid conducted on his properties.

The Vigilance officials had conducted raids on the properties linked to the chief construction engineer at seven places in Balasore on August 2, 2024.

Two Additional superintendents of police, 4 deputy superintendents of police, six Inspectors, seven assistant sub-inspectors and other staff had conducted a massive search based on the strength of search warrants issued by Special Vigilance Judge, Balasore.

Never before in the history of Odisha Vigilance department were such a large number of plots owned by any official detected.