Patna. In a major development in the alleged tender allocation and bill payment scam in Bihar, the Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) has arrested three government officers, while senior IAS officer Sanjeev Hans remains untraceable. The action has sent shockwaves through the state’s administrative and construction departments, raising serious questions over transparency in government contracting.
Three Officers Taken Into Custody
The arrested officials include former Joint Secretary-level officer of the Finance Department Mumukshu Choudhary, former Chief Engineer of the Building Construction Department Tarini Das, and Executive Engineer of the Urban Development and Housing Department Umesh Kumar Singh. All three were called for questioning on Wednesday and were taken into custody after scrutiny of evidence and their statements.
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According to investigating agencies, the case is linked to an organised network involving contractors and officials allegedly manipulating government tenders. At the centre of the probe is contractor Rishu Ranjan Sinha, also known as Rishu Shree, who has already been arrested by the SVU. He is accused of securing undue benefits for his firm, ‘Reliable Infra Services’, by influencing tender processes. In return, he allegedly provided benefits to senior officials in the form of foreign trips, cash transactions, and other illegal gratifications.
Contractor Nexus Under Probe
The Bihar government had earlier suspended two senior IAS officers in connection with the case. The officers, from the 2017 and 2014 batches, are facing allegations of money laundering and exerting influence over tender allocations. Investigations against them are still ongoing.
SVU findings suggest that Mumukshu Choudhary allegedly facilitated undue advantages to firms linked to Rishu Shree during his tenure in municipal bodies. Earlier raids at his premises reportedly indicated the recovery of large amounts of cash, further deepening suspicion against him.
In the case of Tarini Das, Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigations had earlier claimed that large sums of cash were recovered from his residence. Following this, departmental proceedings were initiated against him. He is accused of favouring certain companies and influencing tender decisions in construction projects.
Bill Payments Under Scanner
Executive Engineer Umesh Kumar Singh has been accused of accepting bribes from contractors linked to the Rishu Shree network and manipulating bill payments and contractual processes. His name had already surfaced during ED and SVU investigations, leading to intensified action against him.
SVU officials stated that all three accused were arrested based on concrete evidence gathered during interrogation and investigation. They will be produced before a court, and the agency is expected to seek their remand for deeper investigation into financial transactions, assets, and possible foreign links.
More Names May Surface
Investigators believe that more prominent names could emerge as the probe progresses, potentially widening the scope of the scam. The latest arrests have already created significant turmoil within Bihar’s administrative system, once again putting the integrity of the public tendering process under scrutiny.
