Bhubaneswar, April 1: The Odisha Vigilance team arrested a senior officer from the Odisha Police Housing and Welfare Corporation (OPHWC) on Wednesday. This action came after a search revealed substantial assets, including ₹48.79 lakh in cash and over one kilogram of gold.
The accused has been identified as Bidyut Ranjan Bhol, currently serving as a Deputy Manager in the Sambalpur Division of OPHWC.
According to PK Dwivedi, the Superintendent of Police (Vigilance) for the Sambalpur Division, Bhol was under surveillance due to ongoing complaints that he was soliciting bribes from contractors to expedite pending bills.
Intelligence reports indicated that Bhol planned to leave with the bribe money at the end of March. Following this, the Vigilance Department initiated an investigation and found the allegations against him to be prima facie valid. They sought court permission to proceed with action against him.
On Tuesday, the Vigilance team received a tip-off that Bhol was heading to his government residence in Rasulgarh, Bhubaneswar, with the bribe money. Acting on this information, a special team intercepted his vehicle near Sambalpur Railway Station.
During the search, officials recovered over ₹5,18,900 in cash from Bhol. Subsequent searches of his office and rented accommodation led to the seizure of several incriminating materials.
Simultaneous raids were conducted at multiple locations linked to Bhol, including his ancestral home in Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, and Bhhanjanagar (Ganjam). Authorities discovered two multi-story buildings, a flat in Bhubaneswar, 29 plots in various locations, and 1.14 kilograms of gold, which included six gold coins and two gold bars.
During the home search, Vigilance officials seized ₹48,79,100 in cash, which included ₹35 lakh hidden in a trunk at his elder sister’s house, along with ₹30 lakh in deposits.
On Wednesday, Bidyut Ranjan was arrested at the Sambalpur Vigilance Police Station under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018.
My name is Himanshu Tiwari. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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