Bhubaneswar: Separate teams of Odisha Vigilance Thursday carried out simultaneous raids on various houses linked to dismissed constable Prasanna Behera, who illegally operated the South City bar, where journalist Navin Das’ son Manish Anurag had drinks with his friends before being brutally killed by them.
Based on allegations that Behera possessed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, Vigilance sleuths raided five places Thursday morning.
According to an official source, house searches were conducted on the strength of a Warrant issued by the Special Vigilance Judge, Bhubaneswar under miscellaneous case (No-9/2021 regarding the possession of disproportionate assets by Prasanna Kumar Behera, son of Sri Sadananda Behera, ex- constable in Commissionerate Police-Bhubaneswar). Behera was dismissed from services following his arrest for allegedly running South City Bar in Patrapada area, the senior official informed.
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The searched places include a residential quarter (No-G/12-Police) near Kalpana Square and its extension building, M/s Spark Furniture Private Limited at Dumduma, a furniture workshop at Santha Vihar in Lingipur, South City Bar located at Patrapada and a double-storey building at Behera’s native village in Nuapada of Khurda district.
Five teams led by two Deputy SPs, six Inspectors and several other Vigilance officials were engaged in the house searches.
Total value of Behera’s movable and immovable assets is yet to be ascertained as the raids were underway till filing of the report.
It is pertinent to mention here that a day after his suspension, the constable was arrested for illegally operating the Bar. It is the one that journalist Navin Das’ son Manish Anurag visited before his murder.
During investigation, police came to know that the South City Bar was being run sans a valid license and in violation of the Covid-19 guidelines. It was being operated by constable Behera who is the president of Havildar and Constables Association (HCA).
PNN