Nearly ₹80 lakh in cash, jewellery worth more than ₹52 lakh and 48 watches were recovered during searches linked to a Bihar bureaucrat couple, according to the state’s Vigilance Investigation Bureau.
Four teams searched locations in Patna and Begusarai on September 28 as part of an investigation into assets allegedly exceeding the couple’s known income. The officials named in the case are Ravindra Kumar Diwakar, Patna’s Additional District Magistrate for Supply, and his wife, Kumari Sweety, a sub-registrar posted in Danapur.
Investigators reported finding ₹70.53 lakh in cash at the Patna flat and another ₹9.44 lakh at the Begusarai residence. Together, that amounts to approximately ₹79.97 lakh.
The bureau also reported recovering gold, silver and diamond jewellery, provisionally valued at ₹52.60 lakh. The 48 watches were given a preliminary combined valuation of ₹6.01 lakh. These are investigators’ estimates, with further examination still underway.
Seven properties also come under scrutiny
The investigation extends beyond the items recovered during the searches. Officials have identified seven properties acquired in the couple’s names between 2017 and 2026: two flats in Danapur, three plots in Phulwari Sharif and two plots in Begusarai.
Their purchase documents put the combined value at approximately ₹2.92 crore. However, the bureau said a technical assessment of the Danapur flats was still pending. Interior work was underway when investigators searched them.
The case was registered on September 25 under the Prevention of Corruption Act and provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigators allege disproportionate assets of approximately ₹1.07 crore, equivalent to around 47% of the couple’s known income. That allegation is a separate figure from the cash and valuables recovered during the raids.
Officials also recovered documents relating to insurance investments and two State Bank of India accounts. The bureau said action was being taken to freeze the accounts as the investigation continued.
The reported recoveries now form part of an ongoing investigation. They should not be treated as a court finding that the couple obtained the assets illegally.
