Bhubaneswar: A Tahasildar was caught with suspected ill-gotten cash to the tune of Rs 5 lakh in Odisha’s Sundargarh district on Thursday.

The Vigilance sleuths intercepted Muralidhar Urmal, Tahasildar-cum-Sub-Registrar of Lathikata, while he was returning to his residence in Rourkela city from office in a hired vehicle in the evening.

On the basis of reliable inputs, the Vigilance sleuths intercepted the Tahasildar near Rajabasa Chhak at Lathikata and recovered the cash from his possession.

The Vigilance officials seized the money after the Tahasildar failed to give satisfactory account in this regard. They also seized the vehicle.

Soon after the seizure, the Odisha Vigilance launched simultaneous searches at three locations linked to the Tahasildar to unearth any disproportionate assets (DA) accumulated by him.

“Simultaneous searches are underway at the Tahasildar’s rented accommodation in Rourkela, his ancestral house at Karamdih and office at Lathikata to trace any disproportionate assets,” said the Vigilance Department.