The State vigilance conducted simultaneous searches at 15 different places in connection with alleged disproportionate assets amassed by Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi.

Earlier, Panigrahi had been arrested by the crime branch on 4 December last year in a case of cheating involving Akash Pathak, son of suspended IFS officer Abhay Pathak.

More than seven months after being put behind the bar, Panigrahi had walked out of Jharpada special jail here with Orissa High Court granting conditional bail to the legislator on 12 June last.

While the Pathak duo was arrested on November 27 last year on prevention of corruption act provisions, the three-time MLA and former minister Panigrahi, once the blue-eyed boy of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, was later arrested on 4 December for allegedly defrauding people promising them jobs.

The regional party had earlier expelled the lawmaker on the charge of perpetrating anti-people activities.

“The Lokayukta, Odisha had authorized the Investigating Officers (IOs) of the Vigilance wing of State police to conduct searches in the case. Accordingly, simultaneous searches are being conducted at 15 different places of Panigrahy, his relatives and associates for the purpose of investigation”, said a senior official of the vigilance department.

“On the allegation of possession of disproportionate assets by Panigrahy, a secret verification was conducted by Odisha Vigilance. On completion of the secret verification, as the material was found regarding possession of disproportionate assetsbyPanigrahy, a complaint was filed before the Lokayukta, Odisha, Bhubaneswar on 9 December 2020. Finding material in the said complaint that Panigrahy had amassed assets disproportionate to known sources of income by resorting to corrupt practices, the Lokayukta, Odisha, Bhubaneswar vide order dated 11 December 2020 directed Odisha Vigilance to conduct an inquiry against Dr. Panigrahy,” the release issued by Odisha Vigilance informed.

Accordingly, an inquiry was conducted which revealed that Dr. Panigrahy had intentionally enriched himself illicitly during his incumbency as a public servant from May 24, 2009, to November 2020 and was found in possession of disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 5,05,04,656. The probe report was submitted to the Lokayukta, Odisha, Bhubaneswar on 28.5.2021, the release said.

“The Lokayukta, after examining the report and reply filed by Dr. Panigrahy, found that there existed a prima-facie case against Dr. Panigrahy for an offence under Section 13(2)read with 13(1) (b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 as amended by Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act 2018, and directed the Odisha Vigilance to carry out the investigation in the matter. Accordingly, the Vigilance has registered a case dated 4.10.2021 for detailed investigation,” the release stated.

The vigilance release said during the searches so far, incriminating documents relating to the purchase of land, vehicles, jewellery and other articles, bank passbooks, credit/debit cards, laptops, mobiles, etc. have been recovered and seized for further examination to ascertain the extent of disproportionate assets acquired by Dr. Panigrahy. Further, cash of about Rs.20 lakhs has also been found from the associates of Dr. Panigrahi, sources of which are being verified.

It may be noted here that Panigrahy had earlier filed cases challenging the Lokayukta orders in the High Court and also levelled allegations in his petition.