Patna: The Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) detected alleged disproportionate assets worth Rs 3.28 crore and recovered Rs 31.42 lakh in cash during simultaneous searches at five premises linked to a superintending engineer of the road construction department (RCD), Vijay Kumar, in Patna, Saharsa and Aurangabad districts on Wednesday.The searches also led to the recovery of documents relating to bank deposits of Rs 1.29 crore, gold and silver jewellery worth over Rs 23 lakh, insurance policies and investments in financial institutions.Confirming the action, SVU additional director general (ADG) Sudhanshu Kumar said, “The searches were conducted in connection with a disproportionate assets case registered against Vijay, who is currently posted in the Saharsa Road Construction Circle. The agency has estimated his alleged illegal assets at Rs 3.28 crore which is 139.87% higher than his known sources of income.”The SVU has registered a case in this connection.The five premises searched included the engineer’s govt office and residential quarters in Saharsa, his house in Gola Road, Danapur, and a flat in a residential society at Mahesh Nagar under Patliputra police station area in Patna. The agency also searched his ancestral house at Brahman Toli in Daudnagar, Aurangabad district.During the searches in Danapur, the SVU team recovered Rs 31.42 lakh in cash. Officials also found documents relating to deposits banks, besides gold and silver ornaments valued at over Rs 23 lakh. Documents concerning investments and insurance policies were also seized for examination.According to the SVU, Vijay and his wife, Rani Kumari, have seven bank accounts. The combined deposits in these nine accounts amount to Rs 1.29 crore.The couple also owns an SUV and a hatchback. The agency has so far identified immovable properties worth Rs 3.08 crore in their names. These include a flat and three plots of land at different locations in Patna and Danapur.The properties include a flat in Mahesh Nagar, a plot in Ramjaipal Nagar Cooperative Housing Society and another residential plot in Sahajpur Mauza, Danapur, both registered in the wife’s name. Another plot has been identified in the North Danapur-Ramjaipal Nagar area.The searches also revealed two newly constructed residential buildings on plots owned by the couple. These include a six-storey building on Gola Road, estimated to cost around Rs 1.75 crore, and a three-storey building in Vastuganga Colony, valued at approximately Rs 75 lakh.According to ADG Sudhanshu Kumar, “Preliminary investigations revealed that Vijay joined govt service on Dec 22, 2004. During his postings in Patna, Gaya, Saharsa and other places, he allegedly accumulated assets through illegal and corrupt means that were substantially higher than his salary and other legitimate sources of income.”The SVU is examining the documents, bank transactions, property records and investment details recovered during the searches to establish the sources of the assets. The estimated value of the alleged disproportionate assets could increase after scrutiny of the financial and property records, officials indicated.
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