Patna: The Economic Offences Unit (EOU) on Tuesday conducted searches at five locations linked to Anand Kumar Vibhuti, block development officer (BDO), Bahadurpur in Darbhanga, in a disproportionate assets case and recovered documents related to 16 plots, investments worth around Rs70 lakh in mutual funds, multiple bank accounts and several vehicles.The FIR in Economic Offences Police Station, dated Sept 8, 2026, was registered against Vibhuti, a resident of Lalbegia under Chiraiya police station area in East Champaran, for allegedly acquiring assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. The case was registered under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(B) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018.According to the EOU’s DIG Manavjit Singh Dhillon, prima facie evidence indicated that Vibhuti had allegedly acquired assets 121.87% above his known income during a period of around 12 years of govt service. Following registration of the case and obtaining search warrants from the Special Court of Vigilance, Patna, teams led by DSP-rank officers conducted searches at five locations, with the operation continuing till late evening on Tuesday.During the search at Vibhuti’s ancestral property in Lalbegia, the EOU found a large house constructed on ancestral land. The cost of the building has been estimated at around Rs70 lakh, although its actual construction cost will be assessed during further investigation.At his private residence in Saraswati Nagar, under Ahiyapur police station area in Muzaffarpur, investigators recovered documents relating to the purchase of 16 plots. Of these, nine plots were allegedly purchased in the names of Vibhuti and his family members, while documents relating to seven plots held in the names of other persons were also recovered.The search teams also found two SUVs and two other four-wheelers, along with invoices and documents related to the purchase of jewellery. Documents relating to 16 bank accounts held in the names of Vibhuti and his family members were also recovered. The accounts have been frozen, while a bank locker identified during the search is yet to be searched.The EOU further recovered documents relating to investments in insurance companies, with annual premiums of around Rs1.5 lakh. Investigators also found evidence indicating that around Rs70 lakh had been invested in various mutual funds.Vibhuti was directly appointed through the Bihar Public Service Commission’s 53rd to 55th batch in 2014. During his service, he was posted in West Champaran, Gopalganj, Saran, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga districts before his current posting as BDO in Bahadurpur.The EOU officials said the documents and other materials recovered during the searches are being examined. It added that the assets identified during the searches could further increase the amount of disproportionate assets mentioned in the FIR.The rural development department which is Vibhuti’s parent department, has also been informed about the case and the allegations of dereliction of duty as a public servant, the EOU said.
