Odisha Mines Official Arrested After Rs 4 Crore Cash Seized from Secret Hideout
In a dramatic corruption case, Odisha vigilance officials have arrested Debabrata Mohanty, the deputy director of mines, after recovering a staggering Rs 4 crore in cash from a clandestine rented apartment in Bhubaneswar. The arrest follows an intensive investigation that revealed Mohanty's elaborate efforts to conceal his illicit wealth through a shadowy lifestyle and meticulous evasion tactics.
Secretive Lifestyle and Elaborate Concealment Tactics
According to vigilance sources, Mohanty operated with extreme caution to avoid detection, adopting behaviors that baffled his colleagues and acquaintances. He never allowed his official driver to drop him directly at his residence, instead instructing the driver to stop approximately 500 meters away. Mohanty would then walk the remaining distance on foot, ensuring that no one could trace the exact location where he had hidden his alleged ill-gotten wealth.
This peculiar practice was part of a broader strategy developed after Mohanty witnessed raids on fellow government officers. "He led a painfully frugal public life, avoided any display of wealth, and kept his entire fortune in a rented flat," a vigilance source disclosed. Despite owning a palatial double-storeyed house in Pahala on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty never resided there, opting instead to frequently shift between rented accommodations.
Discovery of the Hidden Cash Stash
The breakthrough in the case came when vigilance teams, acting on a complaint, began covertly monitoring Mohanty's movements. They quickly noticed his unusual habit of walking home after being dropped far from his residence. "We tracked him secretly and identified his flat days before the operation," the source added.
Mohanty was initially detained on Wednesday night while allegedly accepting a Rs 30,000 bribe from a coal contractor. The following morning, a separate vigilance team raided his most recent hideout—a rented flat in the Patia area of Bhubaneswar, where he had moved just 45 days prior. Building security personnel and residents initially denied any knowledge of Mohanty, but a woman eventually recognized his wife from a photograph and revealed the flat number.
When confronted, Mohanty's wife initially feigned ignorance until vigilance officials dialed her number using Mohanty's phone, confirming her identity. A subsequent search of the flat uncovered Rs 4 crore in cash, meticulously hidden away from prying eyes.
Long-Term Plans and Avoidance of Scrutiny
Investigations revealed that Mohanty had deliberately avoided investing his wealth in benami properties or other assets that could attract scrutiny. Instead, he preferred to keep his fortune in liquid cash, planning to utilize it only after his retirement in 2028. This strategy was designed to minimize the risk of detection during his tenure as a government official.
The case highlights the lengths to which corrupt officials may go to conceal their activities, employing:
- Frequent changes of address to avoid establishing a traceable residence
- Public displays of frugality to mask substantial hidden wealth
- Exclusive knowledge of hideouts limited to immediate family members
- Avoidance of traditional investment avenues that could raise red flags
Odisha vigilance officials have emphasized that this arrest sends a strong message about their commitment to rooting out corruption within the state's administrative machinery. The investigation into Mohanty's activities is ongoing, with authorities examining potential links to other illicit transactions and individuals involved in the mining sector.
