The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has seized about ₹1.07 crore in cash during searches in connection with two separate cases allegedly involving a Chief Electrical Distribution Engineer in Bihar’s Hajipur and an Assistant Director with the Tourism Ministry.
The accused have been identified as Ravish Kumar, who is working as an engineer with the East Central Railway in Pahaji, and S. Ramakrishnan, who is posted in Chennai.
Mr. Kumar has been accused of acquiring huge moveable and immovable assets in his name and that of his family members from January 2009 to October 2020, disproportionate to his income from known sources, which amounted to over 183% of his net income during the check period.
Searches on the premises linked to the accused and his relatives purportedly led to the seizure of ₹76 lakh in cash, documents of 15 properties, and investments in jewellery and banks.
In the second case, it is alleged that Mr. Ramakrishnan and others, along with the then regional director, would conduct periodical inspection of various hotels for the purpose of issuing classification/licence and in the process, took bribes from hotel owners and consultants.
Acting on a tip-off that he was on his way to Palani near Madurai in Tamil Nadu with the bribe amount of ₹7 lakh collected from various hoteliers in lieu of favourable reports, the CBI intercepted him. Searches at 15 locations in Patna, Chennai, Kochi, Ernakulam and Kollam led to seizure of ₹31 lakh in cash, said the agency.