Odisha Vigilance arrested Debabrata Mohanty, Deputy Director of Mines in Cuttack Circle, after seizing more than Rs 4 crore in cash from his Bhubaneswar flat.
Officials described the recovery as the largest cash seizure in the history of Odisha Vigilance.
Mohanty was caught on Tuesday while accepting a Rs 30,000 bribe from a licensed coal trader during a trap operation. Following his arrest, Vigilance teams raided multiple locations linked to him, including his residence at Nature’s Crest Apartment in Bhubaneswar, his ancestral home in Bhadrak’s Mathasahi, and his office chamber in Cuttack.
During the searches, officers discovered huge amounts of cash hidden in trolley bags and cupboards inside his Bhubaneswar flat. They also recovered Rs 1.2 lakh from his office drawer and personal belongings. In addition, Vigilance identified a two-storey house measuring 2,400 square feet at Pahala, Bhubaneswar, along with 130 grams of gold and other assets.
Officials expressed shock at the scale of wealth amassed by Mohanty, who began his government career in 2004 with a salary of just ₹8,000. His postings included Balangir, Baripada, Berhampur, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar headquarters, Sambalpur, Phulbani, and finally Cuttack Circle, where he was promoted as Deputy Director in 2026.
The seized cash is being counted to determine the exact amount. Vigilance confirmed that further investigation will examine how Mohanty accumulated such disproportionate assets during his service.
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