Naveen Patnaik Expels Soumya Ranjan Patnaik from BJD for Alleged Bank Loan Fraud

The Bihar government engineer was the target of raids by the special vigilance unit (SVU) on Thursday after he was accused of using illegal ways to amass a sizable sum of unaccounted money worth at least Rs 7 crore in just nine years of employment.

As the raids were still ongoing at the time the report was filed, the allegedly unlawful riches might significantly increase. The investigators said they "found evidence of the accused being a 'characterless' person and also indulging in consumption of narcotic substances."

Employee of the South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (SBPDCL), Sanjeev Kumar Gupta was searched. He is currently working as an executive engineer in the energy supply division in the Banka district. He began working for the government in 2014.

The raids were carried out in response to a FIR filed by the SVU under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, at his office and official residence in Banka, a house and a godown in Bhagalpur, and houses in Purnea and Patna.

While the apartments in Patna and Purnea feature opulent interiors, the residence in Bhagalpur is a brand-new three-story structure. So far, authorities have confiscated papers related to the acquisition of nine land plots in various parts of the state, Rs. 40 lakh in unaccounted cash, and jewelry valued at several lakhs of dollars.

"Gupta, his wife, and a little daughter also have been discovered to have roughly ten bank accounts, two safes, fixed deposits totalling Rs. 30 lakh, and life insurance policies. They are being evaluated and contacted. The likelihood of finding moveable and immovable assets outside of Bihar is very likely, a senior SVU officer told The Telegraph.

"The raided engineer had received a salary of about Rs 66 lakh ever since beginning employment with the government. A few years ago, his wife started working as group "C" employee at a bank. His father-in-law's involvement, an Indian Railways senior section engineer, is also questionable. We are also investigating that, the SVU officer said.

soon census

Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar, said the census should start "immediately" on Thursday, according to PTI, a day after the Centre indicated it will soon follow the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The decadal census, according to the JDU supreme leader, has been delayed in the nation for the first time and should have been finished in 2021.

"Why wait until the Lok Sabha elections in 2024...why not now? The decadal census needs to start right away. When questioned about Union Home Minister Amit Shah's announcement regarding the census, Nitish told reporters here that the Center should begin the enumeration exercise soon.