Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance officers arrested a Superintending Engineer (SE) of the Water Resources department on Saturday after recovering unaccounted cash totalling ₹21,88,620, officials said. The arrested official was identified as Prasanjit Das, posted as SE of the Mahanadi Northern Division, Jagatpur, Cuttack, they added.
Interception and searches
According to a statement reported by PTI, vigilance personnel kept the officer under surveillance following credible inputs. The team intercepted Das near AG Square in Bhubaneswar while he was travelling in his official vehicle late on Friday. During the interception, officers recovered ₹7,28,620 from his possession, which he could not account for to their satisfaction.
“On Friday night, Prasanjit Das, SE, was intercepted by a team of Odisha Vigilance near AG Square, Bhubaneswar, he was travelling in his official vehicle. During interception, suspected ill-gotten cash of Rs 7,28,620 was found in the possession of Das, which he could not account for satisfactorily,” the vigilance department said in a statement.
Following the interception, the vigilance team conducted simultaneous searches at Das’s rented flat in Bhubaneswar and his paternal house in Baragarh. Officers said the search of the rented residence yielded a further ₹14.60 lakh, bringing the total seized cash to ₹21,88,620. The official vehicle was also seized.
Charges and service history
Officials reported that Das has been booked under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018. The vigilance statement said he was accused of demanding bribes from contractors engaged with the Water Resources department.
Das entered government service in 2016 as an Assistant Executive Engineer (Civil) with an initial salary of around ₹25,000 per month. He was promoted to Executive Engineer and posted to Gangadhar Meher Lift Irrigation Division-I, Bijepur in 2022. On promotion, he was posted as SE, Mahanadi North Division, Cuttack on 5 June 2026, the statement added.
What was seized
| Location | Amount seized (₹) |
|---|---|
| Official vehicle (interception near AG Square) | 7,28,620 |
| Rented flat, Bhubaneswar | 14,60,000 |
| Total | 21,88,620 |
Context and implications
The arrest underscores continued vigilance action against alleged corruption in project execution and contract management across Odisha’s irrigation and water-resources works. The Water Resources department administers multiple lift irrigation schemes and other works where contractors interact frequently with engineers for project approvals, payments and inspections.
Under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018, possession of disproportionate assets or unexplained wealth by a public servant can invite criminal prosecution. The vigilance agency’s operations typically include surveillance, interception and coordinated searches when there are credible inputs of wrongdoing.
Practical note for contractors and public bodies
Officials and contractors engaged with state departments should note the following precautions and best practices to minimise risk and ensure compliance:
- Maintain clear, auditable records of all payments and approvals; prefer electronic transactions where possible.
- Use formal channels for complaints or grievances rather than informal payments; the anti-corruption helplines and vigilance portals should be used for reporting inducements.
- Departments should enforce transparency in tendering, measurement and payment processes and ensure regular audits of on-ground works.
Investigations into the matter are ongoing, the vigilance statement reported. Further legal proceedings will be guided by the evidence collected during the searches and seizure operations.
PTI reported the developments; the vigilance department provided the details cited in its statement.
