Bihar EOU Engineer Assets Case: The Bihar Economic Offences Unit (EOU) has recovered Rs 50.05 lakh in cash during searches linked to a disproportionate assets case against a state government engineer. The searches were carried out at several locations on Thursday.
The case involves Narad Kumar Das, an executive engineer with the Bihar Planning and Development Department. EOU teams searched properties linked to him in different parts of Bihar as part of an investigation into assets allegedly collected beyond his known income.
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EOU Deputy Inspector General Manavjeet Singh Dhillon said a large amount of cash was found during the searches. Most of the money was in Rs 500 notes and officers used a currency-counting machine to count it.
EOU Finds Cash and Property Documents
The investigation began after the EOU registered a case against Das on October 7 under Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
According to the agency, investigators have so far found evidence of assets worth around Rs 83.5 lakh that were allegedly beyond Das’s known legal sources of income.
“Prima facie evidence has been found of Rs 83.5 lakh in assets allegedly acquired beyond his known legitimate sources of income, which is approximately 64.93 per cent above his known income,” Dhillon said.
The EOU also recovered documents linked to land and investments. Investigators found papers related to plots in Patna and Bhagalpur along with jewellery and receipts showing jewellery purchases worth Rs 5 lakh.
Searches Conducted At Five Locations
The searches were carried out after the EOU obtained warrants from the Special Court, Vigilance, Patna. Teams were sent to five locations in Bhagalpur, Munger, Patna and Muzaffarpur. The places searched included:
- Das’s residences in Bhagalpur and Patna
- A flat in Muzaffarpur
- A premises in Munger
- The government office of the Local Area Engineering Organisation, Works Division, Munger
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The Rs 50.05 lakh cash was recovered from Das’s in-laws’ house in Muzaffarpur.
Investigators also found documents connected to land purchases. One plot in Rupaspur, Patna, was purchased for Rs 68.41 lakh in the name of Das’s mother-in-law, Bina Vidyarthi. The EOU said the property’s market value was much higher than the amount mentioned in the registered sale deed.
Investigation Continues
The EOU is continuing to examine the documents, cash, jewellery and property details recovered during the searches. The agency has also sent information about the alleged disproportionate assets to Das’s parent department, the State Water Resources Department. The department may take further disciplinary action based on the investigation.
