Odisha: Assistant Executive Engineer Detained for Holding Excessive Assets
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Bhubaneswar, Dec 4 (AINS) The Odisha Vigilance team took action on Wednesday by detaining a senior government official for the possession of excessive assets amounting to crores. These assets are reported to be 130 percent greater than the known income sources of the accused.
The individual, identified as Biswanath Patro, serves as the Assistant Executive Engineer at the Jeypore Block and oversees the Jeypore Municipality in the Koraput district.
According to a senior vigilance officer, “He was taken into custody by the vigilance team and presented before the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, in Jeypore for holding excessive assets (DA) that are 130 percent above his known income sources, which he failed to justify adequately.”
On Tuesday, a team of vigilance officers, including one Additional SP, two DSPs, eight Inspectors, six ASIs, and additional support staff, conducted simultaneous searches at six locations in Jeypore, Ganjam, and Bhubaneswar associated with Patro.
During these searches, the anti-corruption team uncovered that Patro and his family owned a triple-storeyed building in Jeypore valued at approximately Rs 1.55 Crore, along with a double-storeyed building in the Belaguntha area of Ganjam district. They also discovered 18 land plots, including six in prime areas of Bhubaneswar, one each in Jeypore and Berhampur towns, and ten plots in Jagannathprasad, Ganjam district.
Further investigations revealed that Patro possessed bank deposits worth Rs 1.01 crore, insurance policies, gold jewelry totaling 854 grams, and silver items weighing 1.8 Kg. Additionally, he had cash, two two-wheelers, and household goods estimated at around Rs 7.70 lakhs.
A case (25/24) has been filed at the Koraput Vigilance police station against Patro and his spouse under sections 13(2), 13(1)(b), and 12 of the PC (Amendment) Act, 2018.
Reports indicate that the state vigilance has initiated as many as 90 cases against public officials over the last five months from June 1, 2024, to October 31, 2024.
During this period, the Vigilance Department has recorded the highest number of cases—20—against officials from the Revenue Department, while 18 officials from the Panchayati Raj Department have also been implicated.
