Vigilance sleuths search premises of fugitive ex-Gaya SSP

The special vigilance unit (SVU) of the Bihar Police Wednesday searched premises linked to suspended IPS officer Aditya Kumar, who has been absconding ever since a criminal case was lodged against him in October this year for allegedly conspiring to influence an ongoing case against him with the help an accomplice, who allegedly called the state police chief a number of times, posing as the chief justice of the Patna high court.

On December 3, the district and sessions court of Patna had rejected Kumar’s anticipatory bail petition and later issued a proclamation order against him.

On Tuesday, the SVU had registered a disproportionate assets (DA) case against Kumar, a 2011-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, and procured search warrants, officials said.

On October 18, the sate government had suspended Kumar.

According to an SVU official, who was not willing to be named, sleuths have recovered ₹20 lakh in cash and ₹90 lakh deposits in separate bank accounts during the searches at premises linked to Kumar on Wednesday.

The suspended IPS officer had purchased a plot in ICS Co-Operative Housing Society in Patna, a flat at Vasundhra in Ghaziabad and a second flat at Vasikunj Society in Danapur (Patna), the official said, adding that his ancestral house in Meerut was also searched.

Additional director general (ADG) of police N H Khan, who heads SVU, said Kumar’s approximate disproportionate assets were calculated to be nearly 131% more than his total income from all known sources. “The total value of his movable and immovable properties is estimated to be ₹1.37 crore. However, immovable properties are undervalued in deeds,” he said.

Kumar has served as Gaya senior superintendent of police (SSP) and as SP at Jehanabad and Begusarai. During his posting in Gaya, he was accused of intervening to release a seized liquor consignment and a criminal case was later lodged against him earlier this year. It was in connection with this case that Kumar was accused of hiring a con man, who tried to influence the probe by calling up director general of police (DGP) SK Singhal while posing as a HC judge.

Kumar was eventually cleared of all charges in the Gaya case.