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3 min readBhubaneswarUpdated: Feb 25, 2026 02:02 PM IST
Apart from over Rs 4 crore in cash from his residence, Rs 1.20 lakh has also been recovered from Mohanty’s office drawer. (Express Photo)
In the highest-ever cash seizure by the organisation, Odisha’s vigilance department on Wednesday recovered over Rs 4 crore concealed in trolley bags and almirahs during searches at the residence of a state mining official who began his career with a monthly salary of Rs 8,000 about two decades ago.
The anti-corruption agency has been conducting searches at multiple locations linked to Debabrata Mohanty, deputy director of mines, Cuttack circle.
Searches are under way at his flat in Bhubaneswar, his ancestral home in Mathasahi in Bhadrak district, and his office chamber in Cuttack after Mohanty was nabbed by vigilance officials while allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 30,000 from a licensed coal vendor in exchange for allowing smooth running of his coal depot and granting permission to transport coal.
Apart from over Rs 4 crore in cash from his residence, Rs 1.20 lakh has also been recovered from Mohanty’s office drawer. Among other assets seized are a palatial double-storeyed building of approximately 2,400 sq ft at Pahala in Bhubaneswar and gold jewellery weighing 130 gm.
Among other assets seized are a palatial double-storeyed building of approximately 2,400 sq ft at Pahala in Bhubaneswar and gold jewellery weighing 130 gm. (Express Photo)
“Counting of cash is in progress to ascertain the exact amount of cash. Multiple teams of officials have been deployed in the search operations. The cash recovery is the highest ever cash seizure in the history of Odisha vigilance so far,” an official said.
According to vigilance sources, Mohanty, 58, entered government service in 2004 as a junior mining officer in Balangir with a modest monthly salary of Rs 8,000. He later served in the same rank at Baripada, Berhampur, Cuttack and the state headquarters in Bhubaneswar until 2018.
Mohanty was promoted to assistant mining officer (chief surveyor) in March 2018 and posted to Sambalpur. He recently joined as deputy director of mines, Cuttack circle, with jurisdiction over Cuttack and Kendrapara districts.
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Vigilance sleuths registered a case against Mohanty on February 23 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, an official said.
Briefing reporters in Bhubaneswar, Vigilance Superintendent of Police Saroj Samal confirmed Mohanty’s arrest and said there was a previous corruption case against him.
“We will try to find out how the officer has amassed such huge cash,” the Vigilance SP said.
Sujit Bisoyi is a Special Correspondent with the Indian Express and covers Odisha. His interests are in politics, policy and people’s stories. He tweets at @bisoyisujit87 ... Read More
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