PATNA: Vigilance sleuths conducted raids on four locations of an executive engineer in Bihar on Saturday and recovered Rs 5.25 crore in cash besides jewellery and other valuables. The executive engineer Sanjay Kumar Rai is posted in Kishanganj division of rural works department headed by deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav. A case of disproportionate assets was lodged against Rai, prompting the officials of vigilance investigation bureau to carry out searches at his office and residential premises in Kishanganj and Patna.
During the investigation, it came to light that Rai used to stock bungle notes at rented accommodation of his private assistant, who is an engineer. Subsequently, his assistant’s house was searched in Kishanganj.
Officials at the head office of the investigating agency said in Patna that cash counting machines were brought and bank employees roped in to count the cash recovered during the search operation in Patna’s Indrapuri residence and Kishanganj.
Till the time of filing the report, cash over Rs 5.25 crore was seized. The residential premises of Rai’s cashier were also raided by another vigilance team in Patna. Initially, the raiding team had to face stiff protests from the family members. Deputy SP (vigilance) Sujeet Sagar said that besides cash, some documents and jewellery have been recovered during the search operation. “Cash counting machines have been installed to count the seized currency notes,” he added.