Vigilance raids on IAS officer yield assets worth Rs2.3 crore

PATNA:The special vigilance unit (SVU) of Bihar government on Wednesday raided several places related to IAS officer Deepak Anand and unearthed disproportionate assets of Rs 2.3 crore, which is 1900% more than his known sources of income. The former Saran DM is waiting for posting and the SVU sleuths were interrogating him at the city circuit house till late in the evening.
Raids were still going on at several places, including Anand's parental house in Sitamarhi town, his in-laws' residence at Godda in Jharkhand and Katihar Medical College where his wife Shikha Rani is the second year student of MD.

SVU sources said a disproportionate assets (DA) case was registered against Anand and his wife Shikha on Tuesday. "The documents of movable and immovable assets worth Rs1.55 crore were unearthed during preliminary investigation before an FIR was finally lodged in this connection," sources said and added, "Anand has not completed even ten years of service."

Sources said the SVU sleuths seized Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) of Rs25 lakh, postal deposits of Rs27.5 lakh and receipts of jewellery worth Rs25 lakh during the raid on circuit house where Anand is staying for the time being.

"The documents seized so far indicate disproportionate asset amassed by Anand up to 1900% more than his known sources of income," a SVU source said. He also said Anand had paid Rs39 lakh as fee for admission of his wife in the medical college. The receipts and related documents were also seized during the raids.

Sources said Anand also owns two shops at P & M Mall in Patna and only one shop in his wife's name was declared to the state government. They said at least Rs1 lakh rent is earned from each shop. "Anand's wife has also purchased a plot in his father's name in Phulwarisharif area for Rs30 lakh," sources said.

Sources said the 2007-batch IAS officer and his wife have declared different assets in their income tax returns and to Bihar government. "The assets shown by Anand and his wife in income tax returns were different from the declaration made to the state government," sources said.

"He has repaid loans of Rs58 lakh and paid Rs50 lakh as premium of several insurance schemes. He has also invested around Rs1 crore in other things while his salaried income after deducting income tax since joining the service comes to around Rs60 lakh," sources said.

Anand, a native of Sitamarhi, had ranked 55th in the UPSC civil services examination, 2006. He had joined the service on August 18, 2007. Anand was transferred as Saran DM in March 2017 for dereliction of duty leading to boat tragedy in the Ganga that had claimed 24 lives on the Makar Sankranti day last year.