Patna : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a series of raids across Patna on Thursday, targeting the premises of eight senior officials as part of its investigation into a large-scale tender scam in Bihar. The raids, which have sent shockwaves through the state’s administrative circles, uncovered crores of rupees in cash from the residence of Tarini Das, Chief Engineer of the Building Construction Department.
The operation, which unfolded simultaneously at multiple locations, is believed to be one of the largest crackdowns on corruption in Bihar in recent years. According to sources, Das’s residence in Anisabad yielded such a substantial amount of cash that four machines were deployed to count the seized notes.
Senior Officials Under Scrutiny
In addition to Tarini Das, ED officials raided the premises of senior officers from the Urban Development and Housing, Bridge Construction, Energy, and Road Construction Departments. All those under investigation are members of the Bihar Administrative Service (BAS) and are suspected of accepting hefty bribes to manipulate tenders in favour of certain contractors.
Link to IAS Sanjeev Hans Case
This latest action is reportedly connected to the high-profile IAS Sanjeev Hans tender scam. Hans was arrested five months ago on charges of money laundering, and former MLA Gulab Yadav was also taken into custody in connection with the case. The roots of the investigation trace back to evidence uncovered by Patna Police during a gang rape inquiry, which exposed documents suggesting large-scale corruption and the accumulation of black money. These documents, handed over to the Vigilance Department, led to ED’s extensive searches at over 20 locations linked to Hans and Yadav.
Biggest Seizure Yet
The current raids appear to have surpassed previous seizures. During an earlier operation, ED confiscated Rs 90 lakh in cash, 13 kg of silver bars, documents linked to benami properties, and electronic evidence. However, the discovery of crores of rupees at Das’s residence has further exposed the depth of corruption within the system.
