The Economic Offences Unit (EOU) on Wednesday executed simultaneous searches at six locations associated with Chandramohan Paswan, the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Keoti in Darbhanga district, in a case involving disproportionate assets. The raids were conducted in the Darbhanga and Madhubani districts following allegations that Paswan had accumulated wealth far exceeding his legitimate income sources.
Searches Conducted Under Legal Authorization
The operation was initiated after the Special Vigilance Court in Muzaffarpur issued a search warrant. An FIR was registered against Paswan on May 26 under Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended in 2018). These sections pertain to criminal misconduct by a public servant.
Background of the Accused Officer
Paswan, a native of Madhubani, joined the rural development department as a rural development officer in 2013. Over his career, he has served in Sitamarhi, Samastipur, and Darbhanga districts.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that Paswan amassed assets worth Rs 89.13 lakh beyond his known income, which is approximately 81.03% higher than his legitimate earnings. This significant disparity prompted the EOU to take action.
Details of Raided Properties
EOU teams, led by Deputy Superintendents of Police, conducted searches at multiple locations:
- His ancestral house in Baunsi, Madhubani
- Residence in Bahadurpur, Darbhanga
- A shop at GT Mall in Ramnagar
- A clinic building at GT Healthcare in Babubarhi, Madhubani
- His official residence in Keoti block
- The block office in Keoti
Seized Items and Frozen Assets
EOU DIG Manavjit Singh Dhillon stated that during the searches, documents related to land purchases, details of 10 bank accounts held in the names of Paswan and his family members, eight LIC policies with annual premiums of approximately Rs 2 lakh, two vehicles, and jewellery purchase receipts were recovered. Additionally, around Rs 10 lakh deposited in various bank accounts has been frozen.
Ongoing Construction and Further Investigations
Paswan is currently constructing additional floors at his Bahadurpur residence. During his service tenure, he also built residential and commercial properties in Madhubani and Darbhanga, which are currently under evaluation by the authorities. The DIG indicated that further investigation may uncover additional disproportionate assets. The rural development department has been informed about the case and the alleged lapses by the public servant.
