Even as a month has completed on Monday since its raids on January 29, the Vigilance police are yet to get any inkling of Basant Mohanty, the former RI of Puri south and Balukhnad revenue circles. It is a now a challenge for the Vigilance because its attempt over a month to nab the former fugitive RI has already gone futile.
Meanwhile, public pressure is mounting on Vigilance as the fugitive revenue official is accused of amassing crores of rupees through fraudulent means. When Vigilance is silent, the grapevine is that Mohanty is under treatment for leg fracture. And, he is living in an undisclosed location under supervision of the doctor. A week ago, he faced a mishap when he was climbing a boundary wall to enter his house. He fell down from the wall resulting in his bone injuries. It was said that the mishap had come to knowledge of a few locals.
Although its truthfulness is still to be established, but the common talk is that he is under protection in a hideout not beyond the boundary of Puri.Worthwhile to inform that on January 29, the vigilance team had seized assets worth Rs 1.54 crore from his house.
The agency had conducted searches in eight locations in Puri including his parental home in Jagasinghpur district. But it is alleged that he had managed to flee through the backdoor after getting information of raids. Since then he has been at large.