Odisha AEE Found with disproportionate wealth, arrested by Vigilance

Bhubaneswar, Dec 4: The Odisha Vigilance today arrested Biswanath Patro, the Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) of Jeypore Block and in-charge Municipal Engineer of Jeypore Municipality, on charges of accumulating disproportionate assets worth crores of rupees. 

During raids conducted on Tuesday, Vigilance officials discovered that Patro possessed significant assets, including two multi-storey buildings—one being a triple-storey structure in Jeypore town valued at approximately Rs 1.55 crore. Additionally, he was found with 18 plots of land, bank deposits exceeding Rs 1.01 crore, 854 grams of gold, and 1.8 kilograms of silver, which he could not satisfactorily account for.

The assets identified in the names of Patro and his family members included a triple-storey building covering over 7,200 square feet in Jeypore town, a double-storey building over 3,400 square feet in Koli Sahi, Belaguntha, Ganjam, and 18 plots, six of which are located in prime areas of Bhubaneswar. Furthermore, his financial holdings included bank and insurance deposits totaling Rs 1,01,00,210, along with gold jewelry weighing 854 grams, 1.8 kilograms of silver ornaments, cash, two motorcycles, and household articles valued at around Rs 7.70 lakh.

Patro began his career as an ad-hoc assistant engineer in 2011 with a monthly salary of Rs 14,000. He passed the OPSC exam in 2016 and subsequently received a regular appointment as AEE. The raids were conducted at several locations, including his triple-storey building in Jeypore, a two-storey building on paternal land in Koli Sahi, his office chambers in both the Jeypore block and the Jeypore Municipality, and the office chamber of his spouse at DIET, Jeypore, as well as a relative's residence in Niladri Vihar, Bhubaneswar.