Odisha Vigilance raids AEE Tapan Sethi at 7 locations, seizes gold and properties
Synopsis
Odisha Vigilance descended on seven locations across four cities on 22 October, targeting AEE Tapan Sethi in one of its larger simultaneous anti-graft operations against a public works engineer. With triple-storey buildings, a farmhouse, three plots, 550 grams of gold, and an unopened SBI locker still to be valued, the final tally of alleged disproportionate assets could be substantial.
Key Takeaways
Odisha Vigilance conducted simultaneous raids at 7 locations on 22 October 2026 linked to AEE Tapan Sethi of the R&B Sub-Division, Badachana, Jajpur.
Immovable assets uncovered include 3 buildings across Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Puri, a 1-acre farmhouse near Cuttack, and 3 plots in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
Gold jewellery weighing ~550 grams , 2 four-wheelers and 2 two-wheelers were also recovered.
A bank locker at SBI's main branch in Bhubaneswar is yet to be opened; bank deposits and financial investments are still being traced.
The Odisha Vigilance Technical Wing is carrying out measurement and market valuation of all properties.
Raids were authorised by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Cuttack and led by 3 Additional SPs and 6 Deputy SPs .
Odisha Vigilance on Thursday, 22 October 2026, launched simultaneous searches at seven locations linked to Tapan Sethi, an Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) posted at the R&B Sub-Division, Badachana in Jajpur district, over allegations of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. The raids, backed by search warrants issued by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Cuttack, mark one of the larger simultaneous anti-corruption operations targeting a mid-level public works official in the state this year.
Scope of the Raids
Search teams fanned out across Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Badachana (Jajpur), covering a range of premises that include multi-storey residential buildings, a farmhouse, a relative's house, Sethi's office chamber, and a house in his native village. The operation was led by three Additional Superintendents of Police, six Deputy Superintendents of Police, three Inspectors, and supporting staff — reflecting the scale of the suspected asset trail.
Properties and Assets Uncovered
According to officials, investigators have so far identified the following immovable assets allegedly in Sethi's name or held by his family members: a triple-storey building at Sector-7, CDA, Cuttack; a building at Sidha Mahavir, Puri; a double-storeyed building at Kantabada, Bhubaneswar; a farmhouse spread over one acre at Kantapada near Cuttack; and three plots — two in Bhubaneswar and one at CDA, Cuttack.
On the movable assets side, gold jewellery weighing approximately 550 grams, two four-wheelers, and two two-wheelers were recovered. The Odisha Vigilance Technical Wing has been tasked with measuring and valuing all buildings, the farmhouse, and the plots to arrive at an estimated market value of the total alleged disproportionate holdings.
Key Leads Still Being Pursued
A bank locker operated by Sethi at the State Bank of India's main branch in Bhubaneswar had not been opened at the time of reporting, according to vigilance sources. Investigators are also in the process of ascertaining his bank deposits and other financial investments, which could significantly alter the final valuation of the alleged disproportionate assets.
Background and Context
Sethi is currently posted under the Superintending Engineer, R&B Division, Charbatia, Choudwar in Cuttack district. Roads and Buildings (R&B) officials in Odisha have periodically come under the vigilance scanner given their oversight of public infrastructure contracts. This operation follows a pattern of Odisha Vigilance targeting sub-divisional and divisional engineers in districts where large National Highway and state road projects have been under execution. Notably, the inclusion of properties across four separate cities — Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Jajpur — points to an asset-building effort sustained over several years of postings, according to officials involved in the probe.
As searches continue, the final quantum of disproportionate assets is expected to be formally declared once the technical valuation is complete and the SBI locker is accessed.
Point of View
Bhubaneswar, Puri and Jajpur — is the detail mainstream coverage will underplay. A single AEE does not accumulate triple-storey buildings in three cities on a government salary; the pattern suggests systematic rent extraction from public works contracts over multiple postings. Odisha Vigilance has been escalating its tempo against engineering-cadre officials, but prosecutions have historically moved slowly. The real accountability test is not the raid, but whether the Special Judge, Vigilance, converts this asset trail into a conviction before Sethi retires or transfers dilute the case.
NationPress
22 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Tapan Sethi and why is he under investigation?
Tapan Sethi is an Assistant Executive Engineer posted at the R&B Sub-Division, Badachana, in Jajpur district, Odisha. He is under investigation by Odisha Vigilance on allegations of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, including multiple properties across four cities and significant gold jewellery.
What assets have been found during the Odisha Vigilance raids on 22 October 2026?
Investigators have so far identified three buildings in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Puri, a one-acre farmhouse near Cuttack, three plots, gold jewellery of approximately 550 grams, two four-wheelers, and two two-wheelers. An SBI locker in Bhubaneswar is yet to be opened and bank deposits are still being traced.
How many locations were raided and who authorised the searches?
Seven locations across Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Puri and Badachana (Jajpur) were searched simultaneously. The raids were conducted on the strength of search warrants issued by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Cuttack.
What happens next in the Odisha Vigilance probe against AEE Tapan Sethi?
The Odisha Vigilance Technical Wing will complete the measurement and market valuation of all properties, after which a formal disproportionate assets figure will be declared. Investigators must also access Sethi's SBI locker and complete tracing of bank deposits and financial investments before the case file is presented to the Special Vigilance Court.
How does this case fit into Odisha Vigilance's anti-corruption operations?
Odisha Vigilance has periodically targeted engineers in the Roads and Buildings department, given their oversight of public infrastructure contracts. The scale of this operation — seven simultaneous locations led by senior officers — reflects a broader pattern of scrutiny on mid-level public works officials in districts with active highway and state road projects.
