The Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) on Wednesday arrested three senior government officials in connection with the multi-crore tender scam in Bihar. The arrested officials are former chief engineer of the building construction department Tarini Das, former joint secretary of the finance department Mumukshu Kumar Chaudhary, and Buidco executive engineer Umesh Kumar Singh. According to the SVU, assets and cash worth Rs 11.53 crore, allegedly disproportionate to the officials’ known sources of income, have been recovered from the accused during earlier raids.
Arrest Details and Investigation
Confirming the arrests, SVU Additional Director General Pankaj Kumar Darad told the Times of India that the arrests were made as part of an ongoing investigation into corruption and irregularities in government tenders. “The officials have been sent to jail after their arrest. The charges against them relate to the management and receipt of illegal gratification in connection with the tender scam,” he said. Darad added that the investigation is continuing and that action will be taken against anyone found involved. “We have sufficient evidence against those arrested. Whoever is found involved during the course of the investigation will face legal action,” he stated.
IAS Officer Sanjeev Hans Under Scrutiny
The probe has also put senior IAS officer Sanjeev Hans under scrutiny. SVU teams visited his official residence and later searched for him at the Revenue Board office in the Old Secretariat. However, he was not found at either location. Investigators suspect that Hans may have gone into hiding amid fears of arrest. On Hans, who has also been named in the FIR, the ADG said no arrest warrant is required as his name already figures in the case. He indicated that further action would depend on the ongoing investigation and the evidence collected.
Previous Arrests and Seizures
So far, five people have been arrested in the tender scam linked to alleged middleman Rishu Shree. The first arrests in the case were those of Rishu and his associate Santosh. SVU officials have stated that the investigation remains active and that anyone found involved in the scam will face legal action. The case first gained momentum after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) uncovered evidence of large-scale corruption in government tenders. In 2025, ED officials raided the premises of Tarini Das and recovered Rs 8.53 crore in cash. Similar searches at the residence of Mumukshu Kumar Chaudhary led to the recovery of Rs 2 crore, while raids on Buidco executive engineer Umesh Kumar Singh resulted in the seizure of Rs 1 crore in cash.
Legal Proceedings
Following the ED’s findings, the SVU registered disproportionate assets cases against the officials. Separate FIRs were lodged under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The investigation also revolves around Rishu Shree, who was arrested by the SVU on May 28 following raids at his Patna residence.
Political Reaction
Meanwhile, RJD spokesperson Aijaz Ahmad has accused the Bihar government of taking selective action in the alleged tender scam, claiming that only lower-level officials are being targeted while influential bureaucrats continue to be shielded.
