In a continued effort to combat corruption, the Odisha Vigilance department on Monday arrested a senior official of the State Transport Department. The arrest follows the discovery of assets valued at over six times his known sources of income.
The accused government official identified as Golap Chandra Hansdah, is currently posted as MVI at the Regional Transport Office in Boudh district.
On the strength of a warrant from the Special Judge, Vigilance, Baripada, the Odisha Vigilance conducted simultaneous searches at six properties linked to Hansdah on Sunday. The searches took place in Baripada, Boudh, and Bhubaneswar, and were initiated based on allegations of the official possessing disproportionate assets.
The Vigilance team led by four Deputy Superintendents of Police, seven Inspectors and other supporting staff carried out the search operation at six places, including one residential house at Prafulla Nagar in Baripada town, paternal house of Hansdah at Gudidiha village under Khunta police limits in Mayurbhanj district, office chamber at Boudh, etc.
During the searches, the Vigilance sleuths found Hansdah and his family in possession of one multi-storeyed building at Baripada town, 44 plots, including 43 in and around Baripada town and one on the outskirts of Balasore town, gold weighing over one kilogram including gold biscuits of 50 grams each, silver ornaments 2.126 kgs, bank and insurance deposits worth over Rs 1.34 crore and Rs 40 lakhs spent daughter’s medical education, one four wheeler, three two wheelers and household articles worth around Rs 16.06 lakhs.
“After thorough search, inventory and further enquiry, the income, expenditure and assets of Hansdah, MVI, Boudh, were calculated and he was found in possession of disproportionate assets which were 630 per cent in excess of his known sources of income,” informed vigilance sources.
Hansdah, who joined government service in 1991, was promoted to junior MVI in 2003 and then to MVI in 2020, at which point he was posted to the RTO office in Boudh.
