Disproportionate assets: CBI recovers 17 kgs gold, ₹1.5 cr cash from ex-railways officer

The federal agency booked Pramod Kumar Jena, a 1987-batch IRTS officer who retired in November last year, for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has seized 17 kgs of gold worth ₹9.5 crore and ₹1.57 crore in cash from the possession of a retired Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) officer in Bhubaneswar, the agency said on Tuesday.

Representational image.

The federal agency booked Pramod Kumar Jena, a 1987-batch IRTS officer who retired in November last year, for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

“The CBI has conducted searches and locker operation in an ongoing investigation of a case against Jena (who was posted as Principal Chief Operation Manager, East Coast Railway, Bhubaneswar) for possession of alleged disproportionate assets. A cash amount of ₹1.57 crore, postal saving instruments/bank FDs of ₹3.33 crore, bank balance of ₹1.51 crore, mutual funds worth ₹47.75 lakh, gold bars, gold biscuits/coins and gold jewellery of 17 kgs (valued at approximately ₹9.5 crore) and documents related to immovable properties were found from the bank locker/premises of accused and others, including family members/relatives, etc.,” CBI spokesperson RC Joshi said.

It is alleged that Jena acquired disproportionate assets worth ₹1.92 crore between April 1, 2005 and March 31, 2020 in his and his family members’ names, the officer added.

The places raided on Tuesday include Bhubaneswar, Jagatsinghpur (both in Odisha) and Kolkata.