The Odisha Vigilance department has arrested a senior government engineer following the discovery of significant amounts of unaccounted cash. Prasanjit Das, who serves as the Superintending Engineer of the Mahanadi Northern Division based in Jagatpur, Cuttack, was taken into custody by state anti-corruption officials on Saturday, October 17, 2026. The arrest followed a strategic operation that culminated in the seizure of ₹21.88 lakh from the official.
According to the Directorate of Vigilance, the operation began on Friday night when sleuths intercepted Mr. Das near AG Square in Bhubaneswar. During the initial search, officials recovered ₹7.28 lakh from his immediate possession. A subsequent search of his rented apartment located at Trident Galaxy in Ghatikia, Bhubaneswar, led to the recovery of an additional ₹14.60 lakh. The agency stated that the engineer was unable to provide a satisfactory account or explanation for the possession of these funds.
The investigation into the official’s activities was reportedly initiated following a specific tip-off. Investigators alleged that Mr. Das had been summoning various contractors to an irrigation inspection bungalow in Jagatpur for the express purpose of collecting bribes. As the Vigilance department began monitoring his movements across Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, they encountered operational challenges. Officials noted that the accused frequently changed his location and even switched his hired vehicle to evade detection, which required investigators to employ mobile phone tracking to monitor his whereabouts.
The surveillance operation intensified when the accused was tracked to a feast at the Delta Irrigation inspection bungalow in Bhubaneswar. Vigilance personnel, operating in plain clothes, maintained close observation of Mr. Das throughout the event. After the function concluded, the engineer reportedly switched to his official vehicle and set out to meet another contractor. The Vigilance team successfully intercepted the vehicle near AG Square, leading to the search and subsequent recovery of the cash.
In addition to the searches in Bhubaneswar, the investigative agency conducted simultaneous raids at the engineer’s paternal home in the Bargarh district to gather further evidence. The scale of the recovery has prompted a broader review of the official's financial history and service record. Documents obtained by the investigation revealed that Mr. Das first entered government service in 2016 as an Assistant Executive Engineer with a starting monthly salary of approximately ₹25,000.
His professional trajectory saw him ascend through the ranks over the following decade. He was promoted to the position of Executive Engineer in 2022 and subsequently attained the rank of Superintending Engineer earlier in 2026. The Vigilance department is currently processing the evidence collected during these raids as part of their ongoing corruption investigation. The agency continues to examine the details surrounding the alleged collection of funds from contractors under his purview.
This arrest is part of the state's ongoing efforts to curb corruption within public works departments. The Vigilance agency, which frequently monitors high-value government officials, has recently been involved in other cases involving the siphoning of government funds and irregularities in residential school operations. Further legal proceedings against Mr. Das are expected to follow as the investigation reaches its conclusion and evidence is formally presented before the authorities.
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