Bihar Vigilance dept raids senior government officer in disproportionate assets case

Patna, Dec 16 As part of the ongoing anti-corruption drive in Bihar, the Special Vigilance Department carried out major action on Tuesday, conducting simultaneous raids at multiple locations linked to a senior officer of the Building Construction Department.

The raids are being conducted against Gajadhar Mandal, Director (Quality Control - North) at the Building Construction Department headquarters, in connection with a disproportionate assets case.

The Vigilance teams launched searches at his residential and official premises in Patna and Bhagalpur since Tuesday morning, around 7 a.m., creating a stir within administrative circles.

The raid is currently underway in Mandal's properties in these two districts.

According to official sources, the officer is accused of misusing his official position to illegally amass wealth.

Preliminary investigation revealed a substantial mismatch between his known sources of income and the assets acquired during his service period, prompting the Vigilance department's action.

During the searches, the Vigilance Department reportedly detected illegal assets worth nearly Rs 2,82,61,000.

Teams are examining bank documents, property papers, investment records, electronic devices, and other financial materials.

Lockers and bank accounts linked to the officer are also under scrutiny.

Several important documents have reportedly been recovered, and their examination is ongoing.

The Vigilance Department has registered a case against Gajadhar Mandal under Sections 13(1)(b), 13(2), and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018), along with Section 61(2)(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

The raids are being conducted on the basis of search warrants issued by the Patna Special Judge (Vigilance).

Officials said that a comprehensive assessment of documents and assets is underway, and further action will be taken based on the findings.

Special Vigilance Unit of the Bihar Police is a nodal agency in Bihar that keeps an eye on government officials and their financial activities.

After Samrat Choudhary took charge as the Bihar Home Minister, he has been taking action against crime and corruption in the state.

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