Ranchi | A major corruption case has surfaced in Jharkhand involving the former Land Acquisition Officer (LAO) of Koderma, Shardanand Dev, who has been accused of possessing assets and expenditures nearly five times higher than his known sources of income. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has initiated a formal investigation after preliminary verification confirmed irregularities, leading to the registration of an FIR.
According to officials, the investigation focuses on the officer’s tenure between March 1, 2014 and January 31, 2016, during which alleged irregularities in land acquisition compensation payments were detected. The ACB report suggests the emergence of a large-scale financial network involving undisclosed income, benami assets, and misuse of official position.
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During the check period, the officer’s declared salary income was recorded at ₹16,47,166, while his total expenditure and investments were found to be around ₹90,27,290, indicating a significant mismatch between income and assets. Investigators concluded that the expenditure was disproportionate to known sources of income and warranted detailed scrutiny.
The probe revealed that during the financial year 2014–15, large sums of money were deposited in multiple bank accounts linked to the officer, including accounts in Axis Bank’s Koderma branch. These accounts were held in the names of his wife Sudha Dev, an alleged second spouse Sumantra Devi, LIC agent Mahendra Kumar, and the officer himself, with a total deposit of ₹54,02,287 recorded in that period.
Further investigation uncovered multiple immovable assets acquired during the same period. These include land purchases worth ₹20,76,600 in the names of family members, as well as additional property transactions linked to his daughter Smita Dev amounting to ₹1,30,000. Officials also identified a three-storey residential building in Bokaro’s Chas area valued at approximately ₹75 lakh, excluding land cost.
The case is linked to alleged irregularities in compensation distribution during land acquisition for the Koderma–Ranchi railway track project. The ACB found indications that commission ranging from 10% to 25% was allegedly collected in compensation payouts, suggesting systemic corruption in the process.
The initial complaint was registered in 2017 following allegations of irregularities in land acquisition compensation. A complaint was filed by a woman named Kushma Devi, who alleged that after her land was acquired for the railway project, she was directed by officials to coordinate with a designated intermediary for receiving compensation. She further alleged that she was made to sign multiple blank forms, after which a portion of her compensation was illegally deducted.
Investigators stated that the alleged modus operandi involved coordination between officials, bank intermediaries, and local agents, enabling illegal withdrawals from compensation amounts. The ACB has also flagged possible involvement of bank personnel in facilitating these transactions.
Officials confirmed that the preliminary findings indicate misuse of authority and systematic diversion of government compensation funds. The investigation has now expanded to examine additional financial records, property documents, and banking transactions linked to the accused officer and associated individuals.
The ACB has stated that the case reflects a broader pattern of corruption in land acquisition processes, where compensation funds intended for landowners were allegedly siphoned off through collusion between officials and intermediaries.
Authorities have further indicated that additional assets may be identified as the investigation progresses. The financial trail is currently being analyzed to determine the extent of illicit gains and the network of individuals involved in the alleged scam.
The case is now under active investigation, and further legal action is expected based on the outcome of the ongoing forensic and financial audit.
