CBI books IIT-Goa director for graft

CBI SAID MISHRA’S ASSETS AMOUNTED TO ₹3.39 LAKH IN 2006 BUT BY 2016 THEY HAD RISEN TO OVER ₹2.19 CRORE

NEWDELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) booked the director of the recently established Indian Institute of Technology-Goa on Wednesday for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Dr Barada Kanta Mishra has been accused of indulging in graft during his stint as the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT) director in Bhubaneswar between April 2006 and March 2017. He was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly possessing disproportionate assets to the tune of ₹1.14 crore.

The renowned academician, known for his extensive studies in the fields of mineral processing and extractive metallurgy, graduated in metallurgical engineering from NIT Rourkela and obtained his PhD and post-doctoral degrees from the University of Utah. He has published over 200 journals, and holds claim over five US patents.

Besides serving as IMMT director between December 2005 and March 2017, Dr Mishra was the chairman of the Recruitment and Assessment Board from May 2015 to May 2016.

In its FIR, the CBI said Dr Mishra’s assets — movable and immovable — amounted to ₹3.39 lakh in 2006.

However, by 2016, it had allegedly risen to over ₹2.19 crore. This was inclusive of his bank savings, properties and car.

The investigation agency further alleged that Dr Mishra had made over ₹2.39 crore and spent nearly ₹1.31 crore on “payment of margin amount for purchase of car, advance payment on purchase of flat, house loan repayment, educational expenditure of his children, and kitchen expenses” during this period.

It observed that while the institute director’s actual savings should have been in the whereabouts of ₹1 crore, it rose to as much as ₹ 2.15 crore — showing a discrepancy of ₹1.14 crore.

Dr Mishra was unavailable for comment.