BHUBANESWAR/JEYPORE: Vigilance on Friday unearthed assets worth crores of rupees including two farmhouses spread over 14 acre land and 49 high-value plots from the possession of an assistant executive engineer posted in Kotpad block of Koraput district.
The anti-corruption agency raided seven properties linked to Satyanarayan Sethy in Koraput, Khurda and Kendrapara districts to ascertain his disproportionate assets. During the searches, Sethy and his family members were found to own two farmhouses at Taragaon in Borigumma.
While one farmhouse, spanning 10 acre land, was being used for cultivation of mango and eucalyptus, another 4.35 acre farmhouse was being used for eucalyptus plantation. Sethy’s parental house in Derabis of Kendrapara district, and his government quarter and office chamber in Kotpad were also raided.
The official was also found in possession of 49 plots under Jeypore, Borigumma, Kotpad and Pottangi tehsils, one 2 BHK flat in capital city’s Jatni area and another 2 BHK flat in Jeypore. Deposits to the tune of Rs 60.92 lakh, household articles worth Rs 5.52 lakh, cash amounting to Rs 5.48 lakh besides 940 gram gold and 2.5 kg silver were also seized from him.
“Initial investigation revealed out of the total plots belonging to Sethy, 17 are benami which he had purchased in the names of his relatives. His flat in Jeypore is benami too and is registered in the name of his close associate. The valuation of his farmhouses, flats and plots is being carried out by our technical team,” said a Vigilance officer.
The engineer also owns two benami vehicles - a Tata Harrier SUV and one two-wheeler. “Sethy has been detained in this connection. Further searches are underway and more assets are likely to be unearthed,” the Vigilance officer said.
Sethy had joined government service in 1998 as a junior engineer and was posted at the office of chief engineer, upper Kolab division in Koraput with an initial salary of Rs 7,100. After serving in various capacities in Koraput and Nabarangpur districts, he was promoted to assistant executive engineer in September, 2025 and posted in Kotpad block since.