BHUBANESWAR: Vigilance raids on Monday unearthed property worth crores of rupees allegedly belonging to an executive engineer of the Odisha Construction Corporation Limited (OCCL) in Bhubaneswar.
The raids were conducted at seven locations linked to Sanjay Kumar Kispatta, currently deputed to the lower Suktel project in Balangir. The searches were carried out at his parental house in Sundargarh’s Lateimundi village, rented accommodation in Koraput, quarter in Bhubaneswar, office chamber in Balangir and other places.
The anti-corruption agency found Kispatta and his family in possession of a four-storey commercial building spread over 8,000 sq ft in Koraput town, which is functioning as a lodge with 23 rooms equipped with comforts of a three-star hotel. This apart, he was also found to own nine high-value plots including six in Koraput town, two in Rourkela and one in capital city Bhubaneswar.
Among his other property unearthed by the Vigilance include an under-construction three-storey building (7,715 sq ft) at Lateimundi village and another under-construction house in Koraput town. Besides, Rs 1.16 lakh cash, bank deposits amounting to Rs 46.09 lakh, gold ornaments weighing 325.56 gm and silver 1.12 kg, two expensive cars and household articles worth Rs 36.52 lakh were also found from his possession.
“The measurement and valuation of the buildings and plots owned by Kispatta are being carried out by the Vigilance’s technical wing. He is being questioned in the matter. Investigation is underway and further action will be taken accordingly,” said a Vigilance officer.
Kispatta had joined government service in 2011 as an assistant engineer at Narayanpatna block in Koraput district with Rs 9,300 monthly salary. He was regularised in 2016 and served in various capacities in Koraput before his promotion to the post of executive engineer in March this year. He was then posted at OCCL, Bhubaneswar.
Subsequently, he was deputed to OCCL, Balangir, and has been serving there as an executive engineer till date. He spent nearly 15 years of his career in Koraput district.
We also feel unhappy about the situation, but it is beyond our control. The prices are fixed by the rice millers, and we have to sell at those rates,” he said.
The burden on households has increased further with the rise in the prices of other essential food items. Chicken is currently being sold at around Rs 300 per kg, while skinless chicken costs between Rs 330 and 350 per kg.
