Bhubaneswar, 01 April (H.S.): The Odisha Vigilance on Wednesday arrested Bidyut Ranjan Bhol, Deputy Manager of the Sambalpur Division of the Odisha Police Housing and Welfare Corporation (OPHWC), after allegedly detecting disproportionate assets and unaccounted cash in his possession.

According to an official Vigilance press release, Bhol was intercepted near Sambalpur Railway Station on Tuesday. During the operation, officials recovered ₹5.18 lakh in cash from him, which he reportedly failed to explain satisfactorily. The amount was subsequently seized.

Following the interception, Vigilance teams conducted simultaneous searches at multiple locations linked to Bhol in Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, and Bhanjanagar.

During the raids, officials discovered significant movable and immovable assets in the name of Bhol and his family members. These include two multi-storey buildings, a flat in Bhubaneswar, and as many as 29 plots located in Jatni, Berhampur, and other areas.

The Vigilance team also recovered gold weighing approximately 1.140 kg, including six gold coins and two gold biscuits, along with ₹48.79 lakh in cash. Additionally, bank deposits worth around ₹30 lakh and other financial investments are currently under verification.

A case has been registered against Bhol at the Sambalpur Vigilance Police Station under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.

Bhol had joined government service as an Assistant Project Manager under OPHWC in Berhampur in August 1998 with an initial monthly salary of ₹7,000. Further investigation into the matter is currently underway, Vigilance officials said.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda