Bihar Vigilance raids Rural Works Department engineer in disproportionate assets case

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The Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) on Thursday (October 15, 2026) conducted simultaneous raids at Rural Works Department’s Executive Engineer’s four locations in Chhapra, Patna, Katihar and Darjeeling in connection with a case of amassing disproportionate assets (DA) to his known sources of income.

The Bureau has registered a DA case against Rural Works Department’s Executive Engineer Chandra Shekhar Singh whose four locations have been raided and searched. Mr. Singh is posted at the Department’s Quality Testing Office in Chhapra, the headquarters of Saran district.

A special vigilance team searched the Department’s office in Chhapra, Flat No. 103 at Vamika Apartment on Jagdev Path in Patna, his residential house in Lohiya Nagar, Katihar, and a private property in the Phansidewi police station area of Darjeeling district in West Bengal. The raids continued until late evening.

During the searches conducted so far, the vigilance team recovered ₹3 lakh in cash from his flat in Patna and ₹2 lakh from his house in Katihar. Gold and silver jewellery weighing approximately 250 grams was also recovered from his Katihar residence.

The amount of movable assets suspected to have been acquired illegally may increase after the completion of the searches.

According to the vigilance investigation, Mr. Singh is accused of possessing illegal assets worth ₹1.10 crore in excess of his known sources of income.

An FIR (No. 121/2026) was registered at the Vigilance police station on October 13, 2026, in this connection. The case has been registered under Section 13(2), read with Section 13(1)(b), of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018.

During the search of his Katihar residence, investigators reportedly found documents relating to the purchase of 92 decimals (31 kathas) of land in the Phansidewi police station area of Darjeeling district in the name of his wife, Shweta Kumari.

The land was purchased in several parcels, notably all during the same year, 2021.

The area where the land is located is considered an upscale locality in Darjeeling and lies alongside a national highway. A three-star hotel is also situated near the property. The market value of the land is reportedly estimated to be worth crores of rupees. Its actual market value is currently being assessed.

In the property declaration submitted to the government for the financial year 2025-26, Chandra Shekhar Singh reportedly did not disclose any details of this land (31 Kathas). The matter is being investigated separately.

During the vigilance bureau’s investigation, documents relating to other properties, bank accounts and jewellery were also reportedly found. Their examination is currently underway.

The total value of the alleged illegal assets will become clear only after the preliminary investigation and search operations have been completed.