Bhubaneswar, Feb 25: In the highest-ever cash seizure by Odisha’s Vigilance Department, the anti corruption sleuths on Wednesday unearthed over Rs 4 crore in cash from the Bhubaneswar flat of Deputy Director of Mines, Cuttack Circle.

The accused, identified as Debabrata Mohanty, was apprehended on Tuesday night for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 from a licensed coal vendor for allowing smooth running of his coal depot and to grant permission to transport coal.

Following his arrest, Vigilance officials launched simultaneous searches at multiple locations linked to him, including his residential flat at Shree Vihar, Patia in Bhubaneswar, his parental house at Mathasahi in Bhadrak, and his office chamber in Cuttack to ascertain whether the accused Deputy Director has possessed any disproportionate assets (DA).

During the ongoing searches, cash exceeding Rs 4 crore was recovered from his flat in Bhubaneswar. The money was found concealed in trolley bags and almirahs.

Officials said the counting process is underway to determine the exact amount.

The recovery marks the largest cash seizure ever made by Odisha Vigilance.

Additionally, Rs 1.20 lakh in cash was recovered and seized from Mohanty’s office drawer and personal possession.

Apart from the cash, Vigilance officials have so far unearthed the following assets: A palatial double-storeyed building measuring approximately 2,400 sq ft at Pahala in Bhubaneswar. Gold ornaments weighing around 130 grams have also been recovered from Mohanty’s posession.

A case has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, against Mohanty at the Bhubaneswar Vigilance Police Station in this regard on Monday.

Notably, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, on Monday, told the State Assembly that the Vigilance Department has registered a total 416 cases against government officers and employees in the state for taking bribes, committing financial irregularities in government fund and possession of disproportionate assets between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2025.

Mumbai: In a fresh crackdown on illegal immigration, Mumbai Police arrested 25 Bangladeshi nationals from the Yuri Nagar area of Andheri West.

The operation was conducted by the Versova division of the Mumbai Police in coordination with the Anti-Terrorism Cell (ATC), following specific intelligence inputs.

Police sources said the team carried out a targeted operation in the locality, leading to the detention of the 25 individuals for allegedly residing in the city without valid documents.

Further investigations are underway to trace others who may be part of the network and to identify those who allegedly facilitated their illegal entry and stay in Mumbai, the police said.

The action comes amid an intensified drive against undocumented foreign nationals in the city. Earlier this week, a Bangladeshi woman was arrested in Vile Parle. It was later discovered that the same woman was deported to Bangladesh 6 months ago when she was discovered living illegally in Mira Bhayandar for 25 Years. Authorities have initiated fresh deportation proceedings against her.

Police indicated that porous border security and alleged collusion by certain personnel along the West Bengal border remain key concerns contributing to illegal infiltration.

Data shared by the police highlights the scale of the issue. Over the past three years, 1,758 Bangladeshi nationals have been detained in Mumbai for allegedly residing without valid documentation. Of these, 1,238 have already been deported, while the remaining cases are at various stages of legal processing.

As part of the ongoing crackdown, between January 1 and February 20, 2026, the police detained 113 Bangladeshi nationals. So far, 27 have been deported, and legal formalities are underway for the others.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Satyanarayan Chaudhary stated that in 2025 alone, 1,100 Bangladeshi nationals were deported. During the year, 150 cases were registered involving 224 accused. All cases are currently pending before the court and deportation proceedings will be completed after obtaining the necessary judicial orders.

Police have reiterated that the drive will continue in the coming weeks.

Mumbai: A 45-year-old jewellery trader from Borivali received an extortion threat of Rs 30 lakh via WhatsApp from an international mobile number. In the message, the accused claimed that the money was to be paid to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. During a subsequent call, the accused threatened to kill the trader like Baba Siddique if he failed to pay the money.

According to the FIR, Swara Jewellers, operated by Chahat Shah, is located at Gulmohar Shop in Borivali West. The complainant, Kiran Suryavanshi, 45, has been working as the shop manager since 2025.

On February 18 at 7:21 am, a WhatsApp message was received on the shop’s mobile number from an international number (+447474789883). The message, written in Hindi, demanded Rs 30 lakh as extortion money and threatened to kill the shop owner in the same manner as Baba Siddique if the payment was not made within 24 hours.

On February 19 at 11:18 am, a WhatsApp call was received on the shop’s number from the same international number, which was answered by manager Uma Shankar. The same threat was repeated, followed by a message stating in Hindi that they would soon be killed.

On February 21 at 3:10 am, another message was received from the same number demanding money and threatening to kill them if they failed to pay.

The shop employees then decided to respond and began communicating via text messages. The employees initially offered Rs 1 lakh, but the accused rejected the offer and demanded Rs 10 lakh, again threatening to kill them if the money was not paid.

The caller later negotiated down to Rs 4 lakh and provided an Indian Google Pay number, instructing the employees to transfer Rs 1 lakh first and the remaining amount later.

The employees informed shop owner Shah about the development, following which a case was registered. Police are investigating the matter.