Odisha: Vigilance Raids on Ex-Engineer’s Properties Unearth 1.5 kg gold ornaments
By : Akshaya Kumar Sahoo
Update: 2024-08-12 14:17 GMT
Bhubaneswar: Officials of the Odisha Vigilance wing were on Monday were Monday stunned as they stumbled upon a huge stock of gold, diamond and silver ornaments during raids conducted on the properties linked to Tara Prasad Mishra, former chief engineer of roads and building (Civil), Odisha.
The raids were conducted on Mishra’s properties on the charges of amassing properties disproportionate to his known sources of income. The raids are currently underway at nine places linked to Mishra in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Jharsuguda.
Senior Vigilance officials informed that 10 high value flats, including two in Cosmopolis and one Samaparpan Apartment complexes in Bhubaneswar and another couple of flats in Jharsuguda; seven plots, bank deposits of over Rs 2.7 crore and 1.5 kg of gold was detected during the searches so far.
The jewellery, among others, included nine diamond necklaces, over one hundred gold necklaces, hundreds of finger-rings and ear-rings.
Apart from this, cash worth over Rs 6 lakh, Rs 2.70 crore bank deposits, two luxury cars, including a Mercedes, multiple watches including Rolex (Approx Rs 13 lakh) were also detected.
In a release, Vigilance officials said Mishra has also spent around Rs 80 lakh on the medical education of his daughter. Other deposits and investments in shares and mutual funds are being ascertained.
As per initial reports, Mishra had come under scanner following several allegations during his tenure. However, he had retired from government service last year.
Vigilance superintendent of police Sravan Vibek M said an assessment exercise was on to ascertain the exact volume of wealth seized today and after that appropriate legal procedure will be initiated against Mishra.
“Let the assessment exercise be over. Then, we will initiate actions as per the Prevention of Corruption Act, said the Vigilance SP.