₹4 Crore Cash Unearthed from Odisha Mines Official After ₹30,000 Bribe Trap

Bhubaneswar: In one of the biggest crackdowns in recent years, the Odisha Vigilance Department has recovered over ₹4 crore in cash from the Bhubaneswar flat of Debabrata Mohanty, Deputy Director of Mines, Cuttack Circle, following his arrest in a bribery case.

According to an official press note, Mohanty was caught red-handed on Tuesday while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹30,000 from a licensed coal vendor. The official had reportedly demanded the illegal gratification to allow the smooth functioning of the complainant’s coal depot and to grant permission for coal transportation.

Acting on a formal complaint, Vigilance officials laid a trap and apprehended Mohanty during the transaction. The entire tainted bribe amount of ₹30,000 was recovered from his possession in the presence of independent witnesses and subsequently seized.

During follow-up searches at his Bhubaneswar residence, officials unearthed more than ₹4 crore in cash concealed inside trolley bags and almirahs. This marks the highest-ever cash seizure in the history of Odisha Vigilance.

Simultaneous searches are also underway at his parental house in Bhadrak and his office chamber in Cuttack to investigate possible possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

In addition to the cash haul, the vigilance team recovered ₹1.20 lakh from his office drawer and personal possession. A palatial double-storeyed building located in Pahala, Bhubaneswar, and approximately 130 grams of gold have also been seized.

The investigation is ongoing, and further details are expected as searches continue.