Vigilance raids in Odisha exposed crores in illegal assets held by top engineers, revealing deep corruption and political collusion, undermining the former BJD government’s claims of transparency.
BHUBANESWAR: The recent Vigilance Police raids and unearthing of assets of crores of rupees of Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation (OBCC) Additional Chief Engineer Pradeep Kumar Rath and Suktel Irrigation Project Chief Construction Engineer Sunil Kumar Rout has exposed the former BJD government’s frequently parroted rhetoric of ‘transparency.’
Besides, it is surprising how these Kuber government officials had for so long managed to elude the Vigilance net, though over the years they managed to amass huge illegal assets misutlising their position. This proves that they had a deep nexus with their political masters and shared the spoils with them due to which the anti-graft agency had so far turned a blind eye to their corrupt activities.
Notably, the Vigilance team during the raids on Rath’s properties on August 5, unearthed a residential triple-storied building at Satya Vihar, Pandara in Bhubaneswar, another residential triple-storied building at Bhadrak, one flat at Oyster Apartment at Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneswar, one flat at Patrapada, Bhubaneswar, one crusher unit in Dhenkanal, one medicine store-cum-residence of approximately 1,000 Sqft at Indradhanu market, Nayapalli, Bhubaneswar, 42 plots in upscale areas in Bhubaneswar, Khordha, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Bhadrak and Jajpur, Out of the 42 plots, three in Bhubaneswar, one in Khordha, two in Cuttack, two in Bhadrak, two in Dhenkanal and 32 in Jajpur.
The above plots were purchased by Rath in different years in his name as well as in name of his family members. The total registered sale deed value comes to over Rs.1.05 crore. However the actual value is likely to be higher, which is being verified by the Vigilance.
Besides, Rath’s fixed deposits in different banks and post office worth Rs 88 lakhs, more than one kg gold ornaments, one four- wheeler (Eco Sports), two JCBs, one excavator and two two-wheelers have been detected so far. The searches are continuing and the assets are most likely to increase.
Earlier, during the raids on Suktel Irrigation project Chief Construction Engineer Sunil Kumar Rout , the Vigilance had detected disproportionate assets of Rs 10 crore which included a farmhouse at Saptasajya in Dhenkanal consisting of a two-storied building. He also owns a three-storied house spread over 5,800 sqft in Niladri Vihar area of the capital city, two-storied building in Nilakantha Nagar, two flats in Puri and one flat at Mathura in Uttar Pradesh.
was found in possession of 34 plots in Bhubaneswar, Puri, Cuttack and Dhenkanal, gold and silver ornaments weighing a whopping 1 kg and 500 gm respectively, insurance and bank deposits to the tune of Rs 2.84 crore, one truck, two cars, household articles worth Rs 15 lakh and Rs 2.34 lakh cash.
However, many big fish like former Works Department Engineer- in-Chief and DPI (Roads) Er M.R Mishra committed scams worth thousands of crores in awarding 1,007 tenders for construction of multi-purpose halls, bridges and infrastructure projects. EOT deviation, tender fixing, corrupt activities, favouritism to some contractors were rampant. But still Mishra and many other highly corrupt officers are yet to come under the Odisha Vigilance scanner. Many eyebrows have been raised over this and the anti-corruption wing’s credibility is at stake.
Many eyebrows have been raised over this and the anti-corruption wing’s credibility is at stake even though Vigilance Director Yeshwant Jethwa is a honest and no-nonsense officer.