Office-cum-residence of Dillip Kumar Diggal at Niladrivihar in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar: June 8: The vigilance officials today raided the office and residential premises of a forest range officer who is facing charges of having amassed property disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Following preliminary estimates the property in his possession was found to be worth more than Rs 50 lakhs.

According to vigilance sources, the accused, Dillip Kumar Diggal was posted at Puruna Cuttack in Boudha district as a forest range officer.

The Berhampur division of the vigilance today conducted raids at four places including two in Bhubaneswar, following complaints against Diggal.

The officials found that the officer owned a three storeyed building in the Niladri Vihar area in the city worth Rs 35 to 40 lakhs. A two storeyed house was found at his parental place in Breka village under Tikabali police station in Phulbani district.

Another team of the vigilance under deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Santosh Mishra conducted raids at Diggal’s father-in-law’s house in Chandrasekharpur.

The anticorruption wing officials also conducted raids at a two storeyed house used by him as office-cum-residence in Boudha. “As the accused was not present we could not open that house. We have sealed it and will open it again tomorrow,” said an official.

The officials said that the raids were continuing. “The primary estimates showed his property to be more than Rs 50 lakhs. The actual cost of his property will be clear after the raids are over,’ said a vigilance official.

In another case the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today trapped a chief engineer of BSNL for demanding a ‘cut’ from a person for paying his monthly instalments.

According to CBI officials the accused identified as Ranjit Sahu a native of Begunia and an employee of BSNL was nabbed while taking Rs 500 from complainant Pravat Nanda to pay his monthly instalments.

The complainant had given a plot of land in Old Town to BSNL on lease in 2008 to erect a mobile phone tower. The company was paying him Rs 1,400 every month.

But Nanda alleged that the BSNL officials had become irregular in making payments and the accused was demanding money for releasing the payment. Frustrated Nanda approached the CBI which laid a trap. “Recently the engineer asked me for Rs 500 to release an amount of Rs 4200. I was frustrated by this behaviour and lodged a complaint with the CBI,’ said Nanda.

The CBI later forwarded the accused to the court.