Executive Engineer arrested by vigilance in Odisha

An Executive Engineer in Odisha's Water Resources department has been arrested by the anti-corruption vigilance wing for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Sarbeswar Senapati, Executive Engineer and Deputy Director in the office of the Engineer-in-Chief (EIC), Water Resources, was arrested on Thursday after raids on his house, office and other premises were conducted, a vigilance officer said on Saturday.

Senapati's residential house at Balasore, government quarter at Bhubaneswar, house at his native village in Balasore district, flat at Bhubaneswar, house of relatives at Balasore and office room at Bhubaneswar were simultaneously searched on Wednesday by vigilance officers.

In course of search, Senapati was found to be in possession of assets worth Rs 2,06,12,252 including one three-storied building, one single-storied building, two of flats, three plots of land, a car, two two wheelers, deposits in different banks and post offices, gold ornaments, cash of about 12 lakh and costly household articles, he said.

After search, inventory and further enquiry, the income, expenditure and assets of Senapati were calculated and he was found in possession of assets disproportionate to the known sources of income to the tune of Rs 1,90,90,067.

As the Executive Engineer was found in possession of huge disproportionate assets which he could not account for satisfactorily, a case was registered under provisions of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 for detailed investigation.

Senapati was arrested and investigation of the case is in progress, the officer added.