In a dramatic turn of events in Odisha’s capital Bhubaneswar, bundles of ₹500 notes were seen flying out of an apartment window as a senior government officer attempted to discard unaccounted cash during a vigilance raid. The man has been identified as Baikuntha Nath Sarangi, a Chief Engineer in the Rural Development Department of the Odisha government. He is under investigation for alleged corruption and possession of disproportionate assets.
The Vigilance Department has recovered over ₹2.1 crore in cash from Sarangi in simultaneous raids conducted across seven locations linked to him in Angul, Bhubaneswar, and Pipili (Puri). These include his double-storeyed residential house at Karadagadia in Angul, a flat at Dumduma in Bhubaneswar, another flat in Puri, a relative’s residence at Sikshyakapada in Angul, his paternal house, a double-storeyed paternal building in Angul, and his office chamber.
As officers closed in on his Bhubaneswar flat, Sarangi allegedly tried to dispose of the money by throwing bundles of cash out of a window. The discarded notes were later recovered in the presence of independent witnesses.
According to officials, ₹1.1 crore in cash was seized from his Angul residence, while ₹1 crore was recovered from the Bhubaneswar flat. Most of the currency was in ₹500 denominations, although bundles of ₹200, ₹100, and ₹50 notes were also found. Videos from the search operation show officers counting large stacks of cash inside the property.
The raids were carried out based on credible allegations that Sarangi possessed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. A team of 26 officers was involved in the search operations, including eight Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), twelve inspectors, six assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs), and supporting staff. The counting of the cash is still in progress, and further action will be taken once the investigation concludes.
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