Bihar IAS officer missing after vigilance raids

PATNA - Senthil Kumar, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, is missing two days after Bihar Vigilance Investigation Bureau sleuths carried out raids at his offices and residence, police said here Saturday.

“Kumar, the outgoing Patna Municipal Commissioner, is traceless. He went underground after vigilance bureau carried out raids at his properties in Patna,” a police officer told IANS.

A vigilance bureau official said Kumar went underground to escape arrest but will be arrested soon. “The bureau will issue a notice to him asking him to come forward,” the official said.

During the raids, the vigilance officials seized some files, documents and bank drafts.

Kumar came under scanner after complaints of irregularities surfaced in purchase of machine and equipments for his office.

“A team of the agency carried out the raid Thursday at his office at the Patna Regional Development Authority and residence here,” an official said.

This was the second time that a team of the agency raided Kumar’s office. The raids were earlier conducted at his residence and office Wednesday.

The agency came to know about Kumar’s immovable property in Patna, Delhi and Chennai. He reportedly owns Chennai Cafe and Sudha departmental store in the Harihar Chamber at Boring Road here.