Mining officer From Odisha's Keonjhar Held For 167% Disproportionate Assets

Hota's assets include 15 plots of land, including four in prime urban areas of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, with the remainder in Jajpur district.

Cuttack: The Odisha Vigilance Directorate, the anti-corruption wing of Odisha Police, has apprehended Assistant Mining Officer Padmanav Hota,
posted in Keonjhar, for allegedly holding assets vastly disproportionate to his known income. Investigators estimate the disproportionate assets (DA) to be 167 per cent higher than his legitimate earnings. The case also implicates his spouse under the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.

The Vigilance officials conducted extensive searches at multiple locations linked to Hota, unearthing a staggering inventory of properties, cash, and valuables. These include three large buildings—one of four storeys in Bhubaneswar measuring 5,800 sq ft, another two-storeyed structure spanning 10,000 sq ft in Keonjhar, and a property in Jajpur.

Two illegally occupied flats in Puri have also come under scrutiny, according to a press release issued by the Directorate here on Thursday. Additionally, a five-acre farmhouse located in Ghasipura tehsil of Keonjhar district was identified, with civil construction and other associated developments valued at ₹70 lakh.

Investigators revealed that Hota owned 15 plots of land, including four in prime urban areas of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, with the remainder in Jajpur district. The inquiry also brought to light financial assets such as deposits in banks, post offices, and mutual funds totalling ₹54 lahks.

Gold jewellery weighing approximately 300 grams, alongside household goods worth ₹27.47 lakh, was also attached. Vehicles, including a four-wheeler and
two two-wheelers were also seized.

According to Vigilance officials, the cumulative valuation of the assets far exceeded Hota's known income sources, raising serious questions about their origin. Following his arrest, he was presented before the Court of the Special Judge (Vigilance) in Bhubaneswar. The high-profile case has sparked discussions around the need for increased transparency and accountability among public servants.