Odisha vigilance on Friday raided the house of private secretary to member, Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC), Biranchi Narayan Sahoo, and unearthed documents showing ownership of properties worth over Rs 4 crore, according to preliminary estimates.
The total value of his wealth is likely to increase as the raids are still on and the process of computation is also continuing.
Vigilance officials suspect that the ill-gotten money amassed by the private secretary came from students who were appearing for different examinations conducted by the Odisha Staff Selection Commission. The raiding team has also seized several admit cards of students appearing for the different examinations conducted by the OSSC.
Superintendent of Police (Vigilance-Bhubaneswar Division), R. Prakash told The Telegraph: “Getting reliable information about the official having amassed huge properties disproportionate to his known sources of income, we approached the special judge, vigilance to issue a search warrant. On the strength of the warrant, raids are going on at six places in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. As we have found a number of admit cards of students, we are investigating whether the ill gotten money was collected from students.”
Sources said vigilance would also probe whether he is the only beneficiary of this ill-gotten money collected by him or he shared it with anyone else. “We have stumbled upon huge properties and so far seized Rs 12 lakh cash from his possession. Counting is still on. Besides, Rs 13 lakh cash has been seized from his brother-in-law’s house,” the vigilance SP said.
In 2021, the OSSC had conducted examinations to the posts of assistant librarian, junior librarian, inspector supplies, primary investigator, revenue inspector, Aminas, data operators and various other examinations, sources revealed.
The vigilance constituted three teams comprising four deputy superintendent of police (DSPs), 13 inspectors and other support staff to conduct the searches against the private secretary. “So far, we have found two double storeyed buildings worth more than Rs 3 crore in his possession in Bhubaneswar. Besides, our teams have found nine plots, mostly located in Bhubaneswar,” said the SP.
The private secretary visited countries, including Malaysia and Thailand. “We have also seized foreign currency and shares in his name. Huge gold ornaments have been seized from his possession. We are yet to open the bank lockers of Sahoo,” said vigilance officials. Sahoo has been working in the OSSC since 1994 and is about to retire from the job next year, sources said.