Bhubaneswar, Odisha: In a major crackdown on corruption, two separate enforcement actions have exposed high-level graft in Odisha – one involving a senior Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer and the other an Assistant Executive Engineer in the state administration.
ED Deputy Director Chintan Raghuvanshi Caught
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrested Chintan Raghuvanshi, a 2013-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer and Deputy Director of the ED posted in Bhubaneswar, in connection with a bribery case involving ₹2 crore.
The arrest followed a trap operation based on a complaint from a mining entrepreneur, who alleged that Raghuvanshi had demanded a bribe of ₹20 lakh as part of a negotiated deal to “settle” a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The initial demand was reportedly ₹5 crore, which was later reduced to ₹2 crore after negotiations.
Raghuvanshi was caught red-handed accepting the first instalment of ₹20 lakh. CBI sources further stated that the bribe amount was allegedly routed through his brother, prompting further inquiry into familial links and money flow.
He has been formally arrested and taken into custody for questioning. Further investigations into the larger bribery nexus and possible beneficiaries are ongoing.
Odisha Vigilance Seizes Over ₹15 Lakh from Assistant Engineer
In a separate development, the Odisha Vigilance Department intercepted Pabitra Mohan Panigrahi, an Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) from Chitrakonda Block in Malkangiri district, recovering over ₹15 lakh in unaccounted cash.
Acting on specific intelligence regarding bribe collection from contractors, a Vigilance team intercepted Panigrahi’s WagonR car (OD-30-E-3096) near Gobindapally Chowk, as he was en route to Bhubaneswar. He was reportedly taking a lift at the time of interception.
Officials recovered ₹5.07 lakh in cash from his person and later found an additional ₹10 lakh during a search of his government quarters in Chitrakonda. As Panigrahi failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the seized amount, the cash was confiscated.
Further searches are being conducted at two additional properties linked to Panigrahi, under suspicion of disproportionate assets (DA). He is currently under interrogation, with a detailed report awaited.
Growing Concerns Over Corruption in Key Enforcement Agencies
These back-to-back incidents have sparked concerns over graft among high-ranking officials, particularly in regulatory and enforcement roles. While the CBI’s prompt action reflects the central agency’s vigilance against corruption, the Odisha Vigilance team’s haul underlines the depth of illicit financial practices at the grassroots administrative level.
