Crypto currency worth Rs 1.75 cr seizure in Odisha: Vigilance Directorate takes help of cyber experts for probe

Bhubaneswar: Yesterday during a series of vigilance raids on the houses and properties of the additional chief engineer, planning, monitoring, design and investigation, RW&S circle, Bhubaneswar in Odisha Nihar Ranjan Das, crypto currency worth Rs 1.75 crore had been unearthed.

It is to be noted that this is the first ever case in the State in which an officer of Odisha Government had invested in crypto currency to accumulate property beyond his income.

As per reports, the said officer was supposed to take retirement merely after two days on October 31^st. However, Odisha Vigilance nabbed him two days before and a huge amount of properties including crypto currency were unearthed.

While this is the first case of crypto currency investment for an Odisha govt official, now Vigilance Department has kept vigil on other officers who might have also invested in crypto currency.

With this seizure the probability of arrest for Nihar Ranjan Das has increased. He is likely to be arrested soon.

Earlier, it has been seen that tainted govt officials were trying to hide properties beyond their income in houses, jewellery and cash money hoarding. But this is for the first time it was seen that an officer has invested in crypto currency. It has thrown a new challenge for the Vigilance Department.

To investigate the use of crypto currency investment, the Odisha Vigilance Directorate has taken help of cyber experts from other states. Besides flawless investigation in a case involving crypto Currency, it will also be a challenge for the Vigilance Department to present evidences in the Court regarding crypto currency.