BHUBANESWAR: Joint commissioner of State Transport Authority (STA) Pradeep Kumar Mohanty has come under Vigilance scanner for allegedly amassing assets worth crores, disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The anti-corruption agency on Thursday launched simultaneous searches at the senior STA officer and his relatives’ property in connection with allegations of possessing huge wealth acquired through illegal means.
During searches, Mohanty and his family members were found in possession of a three-storey building spread over 2,400 sq ft in capital city’s upscale Maitri Vihar area, another three-storey building over 7,500 sq ft at Balukhand in Puri, which is suspected to be a benami property and a farmhouse over an area of 14.78 acre at Kusupalla in Nayagarh.
This apart, Mohanty’s family was found in possession of a building in Tangi, and 11 high-value plots as well as agricultural land spread over 11.08 acres in Bhubaneswar, Khurda and Nayagarh. The measurement and valuation and assessment of the immovable assets are being carried out by the Vigilance’s technical wing, sources said.
Investigation revealed Mohanty paid Rs 1 crore to a realtor to purchase a 4-BHK flat at the luxury 9 Boulevard apartment in the Raghunathpur area here. He was also found in possession of three gold biscuits and gold ornaments of about 1.5 kg, Rs 15.55 lakh cash and two cars registered in his brother-in-law’s name, along with a Royal Enfield bullet.
On the day, the anti-corruption agency carried out simultaneous searches at Mohanty’s house in Maitri Vihar, an under-construction five-storey building in Gobinda Prasad, house in Tangi, farmhouse at Kusupalla, office in Cuttack, his relatives’ house in Puri and a petrol pump in capital city’s Malipada.
“Searches are continuing to establish the details of the immovable and movable assets accumulated by Pradeep Mohanty. His bank, postal, insurance deposits and other investments are being verified and further action will be initiated accordingly,” said a Vigilance officer.
Sources said Mohanty was also found in possession of 26 bank notes of Rs 2,000 denomination. The Rs 2,000 notes had been withdrawn from circulation on May 19, 2023.
“Mohanty had joined the service in 1990 as a junior motor vehicle inspector. He is scheduled to retire this month-end as Odisha Transport Engineering Service-I (SR) officer,” said sources.