Chief Engineer arrested in Odisha amid allegations of amassing illegal wealth

Bhubaneswar, Sept 21: Vigilance sleuths arrested NV Harihara Rao, the Chief Engineer in the office of the Chief Construction Engineer, Rural Works Circle in Balasore, following investigations into properties linked to him. The arrest stems from allegations of amassing wealth disproportionate to his known income sources.

During a recent search, the Vigilance Cell uncovered a substantial amount of Rs 46.45 lakhs in cash at his brother-in-law’s residence in Berhampur. The findings included two buildings, a 3-BHK flat, and two suspected benami flats in Bhubaneswar and Berhampur. In addition, officials discovered five high-value homestead plots, bank deposits and investments totaling Rs. 3.42 crores, as well as 510 grams of gold.

Rao could not provide a satisfactory explanation for the assets, prompting his arrest. He is expected to be presented in court today. This case marks a significant advancement in the ongoing efforts to combat corruption within government ranks.