Patna: A senior Bihar police officer has been questioned for around five hours by the state’s Economic Offences Unit (EOU) in connection with a disproportionate assets case, as investigators widen their probe into alleged undeclared wealth and property holdings.
Gautam Kumar, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) who was previously posted as sub-divisional police officer in Kishanganj, was interrogated at the EOU headquarters in Patna on Monday. Officials said he was asked a series of questions relating to the sources of his income and assets but did not provide what investigators considered satisfactory answers.
According to people familiar with the inquiry, Kumar repeatedly cited ill health during the questioning, which limited the extent of responses he gave to investigators.
The case against him intensified after recent raids conducted by the EOU at multiple locations linked to him while he was still serving in Kishanganj. During those searches, investigators reportedly found indications of more than two dozen immovable properties, along with investments in a tea garden in West Bengal.
Authorities have also examined assets allegedly registered in the name of a female associate, as well as jewellery valued at approximately Rs 60 lakh. Kumar did not respond to questions on these specific findings during the interrogation, according to sources.
The Home Department had earlier removed Kumar from his post in Kishanganj and recalled him to the state capital. He has since been suspended in connection with the ongoing investigation, officials confirmed.
Investigators have also raised questions about his repeated postings in the Seemanchal region of Bihar, an area often considered sensitive from a policing and administrative standpoint. His alleged links with influential individuals are also under scrutiny, though officials said little clarity emerged on these aspects during Monday’s questioning.
The EOU said the information gathered during the interrogation would now be verified through further documentation and field inquiries. A team has been deployed in Kishanganj and Purnia districts to trace and verify properties suspected to be linked to him, including those believed to be held through benami arrangements.
Officials indicated that Kumar is likely to be summoned again for further questioning once preliminary verification of the material collected so far is completed. The agency described the investigation as ongoing and being pursued “with seriousness”, without providing a timeline for its conclusion.
In a parallel development, another individual connected to the case, Vaibhav Kumar, is also expected to be questioned on Tuesday. Investigators reportedly uncovered additional property-related clues during searches at his premises, and these are now being examined as part of the broader inquiry.
The EOU has been stepping up action in cases involving alleged disproportionate assets among public servants in Bihar, with a focus on tracing undisclosed property networks and financial irregularities.
