Bhubaneswar, Feb 25: In one of the biggest vigilance crackdowns in recent times, officials seized Rs 4 crore in cash during a raid at the Bhubaneswar residence of a senior mining officer.

The money was recovered from trolley bags and almirahs during a late-night search operation. The accused has been identified as Debabrata Mohanty, Deputy Director of the Mining Department, Cuttack Circle. He was earlier caught red-handed by Vigilance officials while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs30,000 from a coal mine trader. Following his arrest, Vigilance intensified its probe into his alleged disproportionate assets.

During searches at his house in Shri Vihar, Bhubaneswar, officials recovered ₹4 crore in cash. An additional Rs1.20 lakh was seized from his office. The raids also led to the detection of 130 grams of gold and a two-storey building built over approximately 2,400 square feet at Pahal in Bhubaneswar.

Simultaneous searches were carried out at multiple locations linked to the officer, including his residence in Bhubaneswar and his office in Cuttack.

Vigilance officials said further investigation is underway to ascertain the extent of assets amassed by the accused.