BHUBANESWAR: In a dramatic turn of events, Odisha Vigilance officials on Saturday arrested Baikuntha Nath Sarangi, chief engineer of rural works, allegedly for amassing assets grossly disproportionate to his known sources of income. The arrest came on the very day of his retirement, marking one of the state’s most sensational vigilance crackdowns in recent years. The arrest followed a massive raid conducted by the Vigilance department on Friday — a day before Sarangi’s scheduled retirement — during which officials uncovered an astonishing Rs 2.56 crore in unaccounted cash hidden inside his residence. In a desperate bid to evade detection, Sarangi allegedly attempted to throw bundles of currency through a window when the Vigilance team arrived. Further investigation revealed an extensive network of assets amassed by Sarangi over his career. Among the properties seized were two multi-storeyed buildings, two luxury flats, seven high-value plots, and bank deposits worth Rs 1.5 crore. Additionally, Vigilance officials unearthed investments of around Rs 2.7 crore in the share market. In one of the more unusual discoveries, the Vigilance team also seized 15 high-end luxury wristwatches, hinting at Sarangi’s penchant for expensive timepieces. The officials further recovered 1.141 kilograms of gold ornaments from his properties. The arrest was the result of months of meticulous surveillance and intelligence gathering, culminating in what Vigilance officials describe as one of the largest disproportionate asset cases in the state’s recent memory. The timing of the arrest — just hours before Sarangi’s retirement from public service — has added symbolic weight to the case, sending a strong message against corruption in government service. “The properties and wealth unearthed so far are believed to be just the tip of the iceberg,” said a senior Vigilance official, confirming that further investigations are underway. This case adds to a growing list of corruption probes being aggressively pursued by Odisha Vigilance, as the newly formed state government signals a renewed commitment to clean governance and administrative accountability.