Tainted Chhattisgarh IAS officer suspended

RAIPUR - The Chhattisgarh government late Wednesday suspended senior Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer B.L. Agrawal after Income Tax officials raided his house here last week and unearthed that he held nearly 220 bank accounts, official sources said.

Income Tax officials searched the residence of the state agriculture secretary Agrawal as well as business establishments of his close relatives Feb 4 and found that the 1988 batch IAS officer has assets worth millions of rupees.

The state government was under severe criticism from the opposition Congress for delaying the suspension of the IAS officer.

Official sources said the Chhattisgarh government has also handed over the case related to Agrawal amassing assets disproportionate to his known income to the state’s Economic Offences Wing (EoW).