Raining Cash In Bhubaneswar: Odisha Engineer Throws ₹500 Notes Out Of Flat Window Amid Vigilance Raids; ₹2.1 Crore Seized (VIDEO)
Bhubaneshwar: In a bizarre and sensational twist to a corruption probe in Odisha, a senior state government engineer reportedly attempted to dispose of large bundles of cash by hurling them out of his flat window as vigilance officers arrived at his door. The accused, identified as Baikuntha Nath Sarangi, Chief Engineer in the Rural Development Department, is now at the centre of a major disproportionate assets case.
According to officials, the Vigilance Department recovered approximately Rs 2.1 crore in cash from multiple properties linked to Sarangi across Bhubaneswar, Angul, and Pipili. Of the total amount, Rs 1.1 crore was seized from his residence in Angul, and Rs 1 crore from his flat in Bhubaneswar.
Raids at 7 Locations, Bundles of Cash Retrieved Mid-Air
The search operation was launched after credible sources revealed that Sarangi possessed assets far exceeding his known sources of income. In total, raids were conducted at seven separate locations, including his double-storeyed home in Angul, flats in Bhubaneswar and Puri, a relative’s house, and his office chamber.
In a dramatic scene at the Dumduma flat in Bhubaneswar, Sarangi was seen frantically throwing out bundles of Rs 500 notes through a window in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence. Vigilance officers later retrieved the cash in the presence of independent witnesses.
The operation involved 26 officers, including eight Deputy Superintendents of Police, 12 inspectors, and six assistant sub-inspectors. Video footage from the raid shows officials counting towering stacks of cash, which also included notes in Rs 200, Rs 100, and Rs 50 denominations.
As the counting continues and the investigation deepens, the incident has raised serious concerns over corruption within state departments. A formal probe into the full extent of Sarangi’s assets is now underway.
news