Patna: Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) on Monday recovered around Rs 79 lakh in cash, 48 watches valued at nearly Rs 6 lakh and property documents relating to assets worth around Rs 3 crore during searches on premises linked to Patna ADM (Supply) Ravindra Kumar Diwakar and his wife Kumari Sweety, district sub-registrar, Danapur. The searches were conducted in connection with a disproportionate assets case registered against Diwakar.Vigilance teams carried out simultaneous searches at the couple’s premises in Danapur and Begusarai. The operation was continuing late into the day, with officials examining cash, jewellery, documents and other materials recovered during the searches.The main search in Patna was conducted at his apartment on Nahar Road in Danapur. More than 100 bundles of Rs 500 notes, amounting to around Rs 70 lakh, 48 watches, jewellery and land documents were recovered from the flat.VIB team also searched the couple’s ancestral property in Pokharia under Begusarai Town police station. A six-member team reached the property at around 1 pm and continued the search. Officials said more than Rs 9 lakh in cash and a substantial quantity of gold jewellery were recovered from the Begusarai residence.Director general (DG) of VIB, Jitendra Singh Gangwar, said Diwakar, currently posted as ADM (Supply), Patna, is facing a disproportionate assets case registered at Vigilance police station. He said the searches were conducted after obtaining a warrant from the court.“VIB is examining several properties linked to Diwakar, his wife and family members. According to the details available to investigators, Sweety owns a flat, Danapur, valued at Rs 49.34 lakh, while a separate flat in the same locality registered in Diwakar’s name is valued at Rs 45.68 lakh,” DG said.He further stated that the couple also reportedly owns separate 3.9-decimal plots in Phulwarisharif. The plot registered in Sweety’s name is valued at around Rs 51.73 lakh, while the similarly sized plot in Diwakar’s name has been valued at approximately the same amount.Diwakar also owns 20 decimals of land in Ballia, Begusarai, valued at around Rs 23.77 lakh.DG said, “We are also examining properties held in the name of Diwakar’s father, Lakhan Lal Paswan. A 3.9-decimal plot in Phulwarisharif is valued at around Rs 44.19 lakh. Another four-decimal plot in Begusarai, valued at approximately Rs 26.40 lakh, was transferred from his father’s name to Diwakar through a gift deed dated Jan 15, 2024.”Officials said the recovered documents and details of the properties would be compared with the declared income, assets and financial records of the two officers as part of the disproportionate assets investigation.Diwakar began his career as a teacher in 2000 before moving into the state administrative setup. His career postings include serving as DPRO in Saran in 2009, followed by postings as SDC in Katihar from 2010 to 2011 and SDC in Darbhanga in 2014.He subsequently served as PGRO in Saharsa in 2018, SDM in Samastipur in 2020, SDC in Gaya in 2023 and SDC in Patna in 2024. He took charge as ADM (Supply), Patna, in Oct 2025.Sweety is a 2013-batch sub-registrar. Her first posting was at Teghra, where she served from 2013 to 2017. She was subsequently posted at Haveli Kharagpur from 2017 to 2021 and Sakra from 2021 to 2024. She has been posted as district sub-registrar, Danapur, since 2024.VIB searches in Patna and Begusarai were still in progress.Officials said the final details of the cash, jewellery, investments, property documents and other assets recovered would be compiled after completion of the searches.The seized material will form part of the ongoing investigation into the allegations of assets disproportionate to the officers’ known sources of income.
