Rs.4.03-CRORE CASH MOUNTAIN ROCKS ODISHA MINING

Deputy Director of Mines Under Vigilance Scanner After Massive Seizure

Debaranjan Samal,

Associate editor,Odishabarta

Bhubaneswar/Cuttack: In a stunning anti-corruption sweep, the Odisha Vigilance on Tuesday unearthed over ₹4 crore in hard cash during multi-location raids on properties linked to Debabrata Mohanty, Deputy Director of Mines, Cuttack Circle — marking the largest cash seizure in the agency’s history.

Acting on allegations of amassing wealth disproportionate to known sources of income, Vigilance sleuths fanned out across several premises associated with the senior officer. What they found was staggering: bundles upon bundles of currency notes stacked inside rooms, triggering what officials described as a “record-breaking recovery.”

Sources said the counting process ran for hours as teams documented the seizure under tight security. The agency is also scanning bank accounts, real estate holdings, financial investments and digital trails to map the full extent of suspected illicit assets.

Mohanty occupies a powerful regulatory position in Odisha’s mining establishment — a sector long dogged by allegations of irregularities and under-the-table dealings. The recovery has sent shockwaves through the department, raising fresh questions about oversight and accountability in mineral administration.

Officials indicated that a formal case under the Prevention of Corruption Act will follow, with custodial interrogation likely as the probe deepens.

With over Rs.4 crore already seized and more scrutiny underway, this case is poised to become one of the most significant anti-corruption crackdowns in Odisha’s recent history.

Investigation continues.