ED files charge sheet against former Bihar PHED executive engineer in disproportionate assets case

PTI, Aug 12, 2023, 2:10 PM IST

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday said it has filed a charge sheet against a former Bihar Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) executive engineer and his family members in a disproportionate assets case.

A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Patna took cognisance of the prosecution complaint — filed against former executive engineer of PHED, Samastipur Sanjay Kumar Singh, his wife Pushpa Singh, sons Abhishek Ashish and Anunay Ashish, and father Ambika Prasad Singh — on August 10, the ED said in a statement.

The agency said it has also requested the court to allow confiscation of the assets of the accused worth Rs 1.48 crore that were attached by it in March 2022.

While working at different posts as engineer in the PHED, the ED said, Sanjay Kumar amassed “disproportionate” assets worth about Rs 1.83 crore during the period from July 15, 1987 to September 4, 2013 in his name and in the name of his family members (wife, sons and father).

“The disproportionate assets amounting to Rs 1.83 crore have been acquired through corrupt and illegal means, by abusing his position as a public servant in violation of various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988,” it alleged.

The ED case stems from a charge sheet filed by the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of the Bihar government against the accused.

Five immovable assets, including four plots and a flat, nine bank accounts with deposits worth Rs 48.26 lakh, and five insurance polices valued at Rs 7.69 lakh were earlier attached by the ED as part of this investigation.