Health officer throws cash out of window as SVU team raids his flat in Patna

Patna: A vigilance raid in Patna took a dramatic turn on Thursday when Pankaj Kumar, deputy general manager (projects) at the Bihar Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation (BMSIDC), allegedly threw bundles of cash out of a window as the Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) arrived at his Kadamkuan flat in connection with a disproportionate assets case.According to officials, simultaneous raids were conducted at three locations linked to Kumar — his residential flat in Kadamkuan, another residence on Sumati Path at Ranighat in Mahendru under Sultan Ganj police station area, and his office at BMSIDC.Officials said the raiding team moved swiftly after noticing the attempt to dispose of the cash. During the search, the SVU recovered Rs 32 lakh in cash along with diamond, gold and silver jewellery valued at Rs 1.31 crore.

Of the total cash recovered, Rs 5 lakh was found dumped in a garbage pile outside the flat, indicating that the money had been thrown out moments earlier in an attempt to hide it.According to SVU officials, Kumar allegedly amassed assets worth Rs 96 lakh beyond his known sources of income during nearly 13 years of service in various posts in the Bihar govt.An FIR has been registered under Sections 13(1)(b), 13(2) and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018).

Following the registration of the case, the SVU obtained search warrants from a competent court and carried out simultaneous raids at the three locations in Patna.In a statement, the SVU said documents related to several immovable properties in the names of Kumar and his wife were also recovered, suggesting that the assets acquired were far higher than those mentioned in the FIR.Among the properties identified so far are two flats in an apartment complex in Prithvipur Colony in Kankarbagh and another flat in the Kadamkuan area.Investigators also recovered more than 150 receipts linked to the purchase of gold jewellery during Kumar’s service period, along with documents related to investments in financial institutions and bank accounts. These papers are currently under detailed scrutiny.SVU officials said Kumar admitted that the Rs 32 lakh in cash and jewellery worth Rs 1.31 crore recovered from his residence belonged to him. Further investigation is underway to determine the full extent of the assets and their sources.