The Bihar government has dismissed Tarini Das, the Chief Engineer of the Building Construction Department, a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) discovered a staggering ₹11.64 crore in unaccounted cash at his residence. Das, who had been serving on an extension after his retirement now faces departmental proceedings, as confirmed by an official notice issued by the department.
The dramatic raid was part of a wider money laundering probe linked to senior IAS officer Sanjeev Hans. The ED acted on intelligence inputs and conducted searches on Thursday across seven locations in Patna, targeting multiple officials, including Das, Mumukshu Chaudhary (Joint Secretary in Bihar’s Finance Department), and Umesh Kumar Singh (Executive Engineer in the Urban Development and Housing Department).
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The case against Sanjeev Hans, a 1997-batch IAS officer and former Principal Secretary of Bihar’s Energy Department traces back to a Bihar Police vigilance unit investigation. The ED has alleged that Hans accumulated illicit wealth through corrupt practices both during his tenure in Bihar and while serving on central deputation between 2018 and 2023.
According to sources, when the ED officials entered Das’ bungalow, they were stunned by the sheer volume of cash stacked inside multiple rooms. Officers had to employ four counting machines to process the massive haul, working continuously for a staggering eight hours.
The money, allegedly linked to benami transactions and illegal dealings, is suspected to involve several government officials and contractors who have benefited from state tenders.
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The ED’s fresh searches came as part of an ongoing crackdown on financial irregularities involving public officials in Bihar. The scale of the seizure has sent shockwaves through bureaucratic and political circles in the state, highlighting systemic corruption in government departments, particularly those handling major construction and infrastructure projects.
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Following the raid and findings therein, the Bihar government swiftly terminated Das from his post and initiated proceedings against him. While ED continues the investigation process, the arraignment of top government officials is slated to have significant legal and political ramifications in the State.
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