In a major late-night crackdown on official corruption, Odisha Vigilance intercepted Sri Prasanjit Das, Superintending Engineer of the Mahanadi Northern Division, Jagatpur, Katak, recovering unaccounted cash amounting to ₹21,88,620 in his possession.
Acting on precise intelligence inputs regarding the collection of bribes from various contractors, a specialized Vigilance team intercepted Das late on Thursday night near AG Chowk in Bhubaneswar while he was travelling in his officially hired Bolero vehicle.
Interception and Subsequent Searches
During the initial interception on the road, Vigilance officials recovered suspected ill-gotten cash totaling ₹7,28,620 directly from his possession inside the vehicle.
Following his immediate detention, simultaneous search operations were launched early Friday morning across multiple locations linked to the officer:
- Rented Residence: A thorough search at his rented flat (D-401, Trident Galaxy, Ghatikia, Bhubaneswar) yielded an additional ₹14,60,000 in cash.
- Paternal Home: Search teams also searched his ancestral property located in the Bargarh area of Bhubaneswar.
Legal Action and Ongoing Interrogation
Because Das failed to provide a satisfactory explanation or valid documentation regarding the source of the total ₹21.88 lakh seized, the entire amount was confiscated under law.
The anti-corruption agency has registered a formal case—Bhubaneswar Vigilance PS Case No. 24 dated 16.10.2026—under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018). The official remains under detention and is undergoing detailed interrogation to trace the broader network of bribery and contractor kickbacks.
