In an unbelievable incident reported from Patna, Bihar, officials of the Rural Works Department carried out a raid at the Engineer residence of an Executive Engineer, Vinod Ray. What they discovered was shocking—piles of burnt currency notes worth crores of rupees overnight.
The Raid and Discovery of Engineer House
Acting on suspicion of disproportionate assets, the vigilance team raided the engineer’s Patna residence. Fearing the raid, the officer allegedly spent the entire night burning currency notes to destroy evidence of unaccounted wealth. Despite his desperate attempts, the authorities still managed to recover around ₹39 lakh in usable currency from the ashes and remaining bundles.
How Much Money Was Destroyed?
Preliminary estimates suggest that nearly ₹2 crore worth of notes were burned. The team found heaps of charred notes scattered across the house. Alongside the cash, documents and other valuables were seized
Arrests and Legal Action of Engineer
Following the raid, both the engineer and his wife were taken into custody. The vigilance officials are now investigating the source of the unaccounted money, suspected to be bribes and illegal commissions earned through government contracts.
Why Burn the Notes?
Experts believe the engineer tried to eliminate evidence of corruption. However, the extreme measure backfired. Even after hours of burning, crores of rupees could not be completely destroyed. This incident has sparked outrage among the public, highlighting the deep-rooted corruption in government departments and the extreme lengths to which some individuals go to hide their illicit wealth.
Key Highlights
- Location: Patna, Bihar
- Accused: Vinod Ray, Executive Engineer, Rural Works Department
- Amount Burned: Estimated ₹2 crore
- Amount Recovered: ₹39 lakh in usable notes
- Status: Engineer and his wife arrested
FAQs
Q1: Who was the officer caught with burnt notes?
The officer was Vinod Ray, an Executive Engineer in the Rural Works Department of Bihar.
Q2: How much money was destroyed?
Approximately ₹2 crore worth of notes were reportedly burned overnight.
Q3: How much money was saved by the authorities?
Despite the burning, officials managed to recover ₹39 lakh in unburned or partially intact currency.
Q4: Why did the engineer burn the money?
The engineer allegedly tried to destroy evidence of disproportionate assets before the vigilance raid.
Q5: What action was taken against him?
Both the engineer and his wife were arrested, and a detailed investigation into their wealth is underway.
Q6: What does this incident show about corruption in Bihar?
The case highlights the extreme levels of corruption where government officials hoard illegal wealth and even resort to burning cash to escape legal consequences.