Odisha Vigilance arrests engineers in corruption and bribery cases

Odisha Vigilance has conducted several operations targeting government officials for corruption and disproportionate assets.

Assistant Executive Engineer Shishir Kumar Dash, attached to the District Rural Development Agency in Malkangiri, was arrested for allegedly possessing assets 160 per cent higher than his known income. Searches across six locations in Bhubaneswar, Brahmapur, and Malkangiri uncovered a four-storey building, a double-storeyed building, multiple high-value plots, gold jewellery, and significant cash deposits.

In a separate incident, Assistant Engineer Bandita Dash of the Badachana Block in Jajpur district and her associate Somonath Sethy were apprehended while accepting a bribe of Rs 35,000. The bribe was allegedly demanded to release a security deposit and clear pending bills for school construction works. Following the arrest, authorities initiated searches at multiple locations linked to Dash to investigate disproportionate assets.