Patna: The Bihar government has sharply escalated its campaign against organised crime by expanding asset seizure operations to include relatives and close associates of mafia figures, as enforcement agencies uncover widespread use of benami (proxy) ownership to conceal illegal wealth.
According to the state Home Department, nearly 1,600 individuals linked to criminal syndicates have been identified for possessing assets disproportionate to their known income. Of these, over 400 cases have already been placed before courts for confiscation proceedings, marking one of the most aggressive financial crackdowns in the state’s recent history.
Illegal Wealth Built Through Sand, Liquor and Land Rackets
Officials said the targeted mafias accumulated vast illicit fortunes through illegal sand mining, liquor trade and land grabbing, reinvesting proceeds in real estate, vehicles and businesses both within and outside Bihar.
To evade law enforcement, assets were routinely registered in the names of spouses, relatives, employees and trusted intermediaries. Investigators say this layering of ownership was designed to defeat traditional scrutiny mechanisms.
To counter this, the government has ordered all departments — including Revenue, Registration and Transport — to share property and vehicle ownership data with police agencies. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Income Tax Department are jointly verifying financial trails and ownership structures.
AI-Powered Tools Unmask Benami Properties
For the first time, Bihar is deploying artificial intelligence-based analytics to trace benami assets. Investigators are cross-matching Aadhaar, PAN, income-tax filings, bank records and property registries to identify hidden links between criminals and assets.
“AI has allowed us to detect ownership patterns that manual scrutiny cannot,” a senior Home Department officer said. “In several cases, properties were found registered in the names of domestic helpers or low-income associates with no financial capacity.”
Special Teams to Value and Attach Properties
A special valuation team comprising officers from the Building Construction, Revenue and Police departments has been constituted to assess the market value (MVR) of identified assets.
These valuation reports are being prepared in a standardised format and submitted through investigating officers to courts, ensuring procedural transparency during confiscation proceedings.
Assets Traced Beyond Bihar
The investigation has revealed that many mafia figures invested heavily in other states to evade local enforcement. Properties linked to Bihar-based criminal syndicates have surfaced in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal, often routed through shell entities.
District Magistrates (DMs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) have been tasked with coordinating with counterparts in other states to verify ownership and usage of such properties through formal inter-state channels.
Political Links Also Under Scanner
The probe has extended to cases involving politically exposed persons (PEPs). Investigators are comparing election affidavits, income-tax returns and property records to identify discrepancies or undeclared holdings.
“Where political figures or their relatives are found to be holding mafia-linked assets, notices are being issued and explanations sought,” an officer involved in the probe said.
ED, CBI Coordination Drives Momentum
Officials credited the pace of the crackdown to seamless coordination between state and central agencies, calling it a defining feature of the current enforcement strategy.
So far, agencies have identified over ₹120 crore worth of suspected benami properties, while the Income Tax Department has flagged more than 800 high-value financial transactions for deeper examination.
Government Issues Stern Warning to Public
The Home Department has issued a clear advisory to citizens:
“Do not buy or register property, vehicles or businesses in your name on behalf of others.”
Officials warned that individuals found holding assets linked to criminal proceeds will be treated as accomplices, not innocent fronts.
“The aim is to choke the financial oxygen of organised crime,” a senior official said. “Without money, mafia power collapses.”
Analysts describe the campaign as one of Bihar’s boldest anti-mafia drives in decades, shifting focus from arrests alone to dismantling the economic ecosystem that sustains organised crime.
