Bhubaneswar: A government engineer was arrested in Odisha a day after raids at multiple locations led to the detection of assets worth crores of rupees, including 49 high-value plots, three farmhouses and nearly 1 kg of gold jewellery, officials said.
Satyanarayan Sethy, the assistant executive engineer (AEE) posted at Kotpada block in Koraput district, was arrested in connection with a disproportionate assets case, they said.
During the searches, Sethy was found to be in possession of assets allegedly disproportionate to his known sources of income, including two flats, one of them allegedly held benami, officials said.
Among the other assets found were three farmhouses spread across 14 acres, 49 plots, 940 grams of gold jewellery, 2.5 kg of silver, Rs 5.48 lakh in cash, bank deposits exceeding Rs 60.92 lakh, and a four-wheeler allegedly held benami, they said.
Sethy could not satisfactorily explain the assets, they added.
Seven Odisha Vigilance teams, led by seven DSPs and comprising nine inspectors, 11 ASIs and other supporting personnel, carried out the searches, officials said.
A case has been registered under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018, they said.
Sethy joined government service in 1998 as a junior engineer, with an initial monthly salary of Rs 7,100.
He was promoted as an assistant engineer in 2015 and posted at Kotpad block, officials said.
In June 2020, he was transferred to Boriguma block. Sethy was promoted as assistant executive engineer in 2025 and has since been posted in Kotpada block.