Patna: The Bihar Police has launched a major crackdown on organised crime and corruption by expanding the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) beyond its Patna headquarters to all 12 police ranges in the state.
The EOU has decided to establish specialised cells in all 12 police ranges, while an EOU inspector has been posted in every district. The move is aimed at strengthening action against paper leak networks, land mafias, financial fraud and organised criminal gangs by tracking and targeting their sources of illegal wealth.
According to EOU ADG Dr Amit Kumar Jain, proposals have been sent to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against 256 notorious criminals and mafias allegedly involved in accumulating assets through illegal earnings.
Since June 12 this year, proposals concerning 10 major criminals have been sent to the ED. Investigators have identified movable and immovable assets worth Rs 108.93 crore linked to these accused, according to the EOU.
EOU targets mafia wealth
The agency has recently carried out two major operations targeting alleged land mafias.
In Nalanda, the EOU conducted raids at 25 locations linked to alleged land mafia Santosh Down, recovering Rs 27 lakh in cash and 75 land deeds, according to the details released by the unit.
In another operation in Jamui, officials allegedly recovered Rs 34.19 lakh in cash, 131 land deeds and government registers of a circle office from premises linked to Guddu Yadav.
The operations indicate a growing focus on tracing the financial networks and property holdings of suspected criminals rather than limiting investigations to their alleged criminal activities.
Economic intelligence units along Bihar borders
The Bihar Police has also strengthened surveillance against smuggling and economic offences along its borders with Nepal and West Bengal.
Border Economic Intelligence Units have been established in 14 police subdivisions across eight districts to monitor suspected smuggling and other economic offences.
The police has also established an Intellectual Property Crime Branch to take action against the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods.
EOU cells to be established in 12 ranges
The new EOU cells will operate across the following police ranges:
- Central
- Magadh
- Shahabad
- Tirhut
- Champaran
- Saran
- Mithila
- Kosi
- Purnia
- Eastern
- Munger
- Begusarai
A separate cell has also been created to handle the seizure and auction of illegally acquired properties.
The EOU is also preparing for action against properties allegedly linked to paper leak accused Sanjeev Mukhiya and gold robbery accused Subodh Singh.
Focus shifts from arrests to financial networks
The expansion reflects the Bihar Police’s strategy of targeting the financial foundations of organised crime. Officials believe that simply sending gang members to jail may not dismantle criminal networks if their sources of funding and assets remain intact.
By establishing EOU cells at the range and district levels, investigators are expected to receive information about suspected land mafias, fraud networks and illegally acquired properties more quickly.
The decentralised structure is also expected to speed up investigations and facilitate the identification, seizure and eventual auction of benami and illegally acquired assets, potentially putting greater financial pressure on organised criminal networks.
