Bhubaneswar/Sambalpur: Continuing its drive against public servants engaged in corruption, Odisha Vigilance Tuesday launched simultaneous house searches at multiple locations linked to two officials of Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), formerly called V.S.S. Medical College and Hospital, Burla, in Sambalpur district, over allegations of possessing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.
The officials against whom the searches are being conducted are Dhanurdhar Biswal, Establishment Officer-cum-Office Superintendent of VIMSAR, and Aswini Meher, Steward in the Office of the Superintendent, VIMSAR, Burla.
The searches are being carried out on the strength of search warrants issued by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Sambalpur.
According to the official statement, a vigilance team comprising two Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), five Inspectors, three Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs), and other supporting staff is conducting the raids at four locations linked to Dhanurdhar Biswal.
Similarly, another vigilance team, led by five DSPs, five Inspectors, three ASIs, and other supporting staff, is conducting searches at five locations linked to Aswini Meher in Sambalpur and Bargarh districts.
During the house searches, the Vigilance sleuths have so far unearthed movable and immovable assets in possession of Biswal and his family members.
The assets include a double-storeyed residential building at Dhankauda in Sambalpur, another building at Gudesinga in Sambalpur, as many as 20 valuable plots on the outskirts of Sambalpur town, cash worth Rs 19,72,490, gold jewellery (weighment underway), and bank and postal deposits besides investments in various financial instruments, the details of which are being ascertained.
Meanwhile, Meher and his family members were found in possession of one under-construction four-storey building at Saurav Vihar, Burla, one building near Kendriya Vidyalaya, Burla town, another building at Govindpalli in Bargarh district, one storeroom at Burla town, ten valuable plots including six in Burla town, two in Sambalpur and two in Bargarh town, bank and postal deposits and other investments in financial instruments, which are being ascertained.
