Patna: A raid on the homes of a Bihar government officer and his wife has turned up nearly rs 80 lakh in cash, jewellery worth over rs 52 lakh and 48 watches, putting the couple under the scanner of the state Vigilance Bureau in a disproportionate assets case.
The searches were carried out on September 28 at four locations connected to Ravindra Kumar Diwakar, Additional District Magistrate (Supply) in Patna, and his wife Kumari Sweety, a Sub Registrar posted in Danapur.
According to the Vigilance Bureau, its teams recovered rs 70.53 lakh in cash from the couple’s Patna flat. Another rs 9.44 lakh was found at their residence in Begusarai. Together, the cash recovery comes to nearly rs 80 lakh.
The raids also uncovered a sizeable collection of jewellery. Officials have put the preliminary value of the gold, silver and diamond jewellery seized from the two locations at around rs 52.60 lakh.
And there was more. Investigators found 48 wristwatches, collectively valued at about rs 6 lakh, along with documents relating to properties, bank accounts and investments.
The Vigilance Bureau’s investigation is also looking at the couple’s property holdings. Officials say they have identified seven immovable properties bought between 2017 and 2026. These reportedly include two flats in Danapur, three plots in Phulwari Sharif and two plots in Begusarai. The purchase documents put their combined value at around rs 2.92 crore.
The case was registered by the Vigilance Bureau on September 25. Investigators have alleged that the couple possessed assets of around rs 1.07 crore disproportionate to their known sources of income. The case has been registered under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The searches were conducted after warrants were obtained from the Special Vigilance Court in Patna. Investigators are now examining the documents, bank accounts and other financial records seized during the operation.
For now, the allegations remain part of an ongoing investigation. The recovery of cash, jewellery or property documents during a raid does not, by itself, establish that the assets were illegally acquired. The Vigilance Bureau will have to establish the source of the assets and prove its allegations through the legal process.
The final valuation and verification of the seized assets are still awaited.
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