Patna: Bihar’s Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) has launched an investigation into Brijesh Kumar, the deputy development commissioner of Shivhar, over allegations of accumulating assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Officials said the case relates to Kumar’s tenure as sub-divisional officer in Muzaffarpur, where he is alleged to have misused his position to acquire significant assets, many of which were registered in the name of his wife.
According to the SVU, Kumar purchased multiple properties in 2023 in the Saguna Mor area of Danapur, a prime commercial locality near Patna. The properties, registered in the name of his wife, Gitanjali Kumari, include commercial units in complexes such as Om Ganga Complex and Pragati Tower.
The government-assessed value of these properties is estimated at around Rs 2.26 crore, though officials believe their market value may be substantially higher.
The vigilance case alleges that Kumar accumulated assets worth more than Rs 1.44 crore beyond his known income. Investigators also carried out searches at the residence of his father-in-law, a retired executive engineer, in Sitamarhi.
The probe has uncovered financial investments exceeding Rs 21 lakh in banks and other institutions, along with a plot of land in Narkatiaganj valued at around Rs 31 lakh, which is under scrutiny.
Officials said Kumar did not disclose these assets in his mandatory annual property returns, raising further questions about the source of funds and ownership patterns.
The SVU is now examining the possibility of additional benami properties and undisclosed investments linked to the officer and his associates.
