Bhubaneswar, Dec 21 (FN Representative) In one of the biggest seizure of disproportionate assets, the Odisha Vigilance officials have recovered Rs 1,60,44,500 suspected ill-gotten money from the possession of Gaya Santara, Deputy Manager, IDCOL, Ampa Valli Limestone Mines, Simagoda, Koraput on Wednesday. The Vigilance sleuths also recovered 1kg 83 gm gold and 6kg 750 gm silver from his Bhubaneswar residence, Rs 4.19 crore bank deposits. The sleuths found 2 multi-storied buildings in Bhubaneswar, 13 plots in prime areas of Bhubaneswar, Jajpur, Nayagarh, two four wheelers, four two-wheelers, on Tuesday during the search operation. Gaya Santara has been brought to Bhubaneswar from Sunki, Koraput and is being examined in connection with the huge cash, bank deposits and other assets. On the allegation of possession of assets disproportionate to the known sources of income, simultaneous house searches have been launched on the properties of Gaya Santara, at 7 places in Bhubaneswar, Nayagarh, Koraput & Rayagada.
The Vigilance Technical Wing is carrying out detailed measurements and valuation of the buildings and plots. Vigilance sources said during 2022 it has seized over Rs 7 crore in cash in four cases, the highest in the history of the Vigilance department. Cash of Rs 3, 41,66,280 was seized during house searches against Kartikeswar Raul, AE, MI, Bhanjanagar, Ganjam on April 7 last, Cash of 1,40, 18,070 was seized from Ashish Kumar Das, SE, RW Division, Malkangiri on March 25 last and a cash of 1.13 crore was seized during house searches from the possession of Dr Sukant Jena, Gynecologist, Charichhaka CHC following trap on February 16 last. And in the latest case, Rs 1,06,44,500 in cash was seized from Gaya Santara, DM, IDCOL during a search operation on December 20 and 21, Vigilance sources said.