Patna: The Economic Offences Unit (EOU) on Thursday conducted raids at three premises linked to Ajay Kumar Singh, deputy director of the Bihar Board of Open Schooling and Examination, in Patna and Begusarai in connection with a disproportionate assets case involving Rs 3.43 crore.EOU DIG Manavjit Singh Dhillon said Singh is accused of acquiring assets worth Rs 3.43 crore more than his known sources of income, about 90% higher than his declared earnings. An FIR was registered on Aug 19 at the EOU police station under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended in 2018).The searches were conducted at Singh’s office in Mithapur and residence in Khajpura, Patna. Simultaneous raids were also carried out at his ancestral residence in Sahebpur Kamal in Begusarai district.During the searches, EOU teams recovered more than Rs 10 lakh in cash and jewellery valued at Rs 41 lakh from Singh’s Patna residence.Investigators also recovered documents related to the booking of a flat in Sector 142, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, for which over Rs 60 lakh has already been paid. An invoice from a jewellery shop in Patna for jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh was also seized.Passbooks and ATM cards linked to eight bank accounts with deposits of about Rs 18 lakh, five LIC and other insurance policies, documents related to mutual fund investments, and papers relating to an SUV and a two-wheeler were also taken into custody.EOU officials said the Patna property is a G+2 building and its valuation will be carried out as part of the investigation.From the ancestral house in Begusarai, EOU recovered Rs 15 lakh in cash and jewellery worth approximately Rs 9.5 lakh.Officials also seized 11 land deeds in his father’s name, one SBI passbook and six receipts for jewellery purchases totalling Rs 5.5 lakh. Several vehicles were found on the premises, including two JCBs, two tractors, one SUV and one DG set.Officials alleged that the Begusarai residence was constructed after Singh joined the Bihar Education Service in 2005 as a sub-divisional education officer.Properties linked to Singh, including bungalows in Patna and Begusarai worth around Rs 10 crore, have been identified during the probe.The raids were carried out at Singh’s official and residential premises in both districts by teams led by DSP-rank officials.EOU officials said documents related to properties, bank transactions and investments are being examined.Officials said Singh was present at his Patna residence during the searches. In Begusarai, another team visited his brother Dharmendra Singh’s sand-cement shop in Pachveer to verify documents before returning to the ancestral house.Documents, bank records and property papers recovered during the raids are being verified. The EOU has informed the education department about the case. Further investigation is underway.
