An initial Rs 10,000 bribery case expanded into a wider anti-corruption inquiry after authorities recovered assets valued at nearly Rs 2.95 crore from the Jalgaon home of a senior Maharashtra government officer detained last month.
Kiran Purushottam Chaudhary, formerly Additional District Registrar and Stamp Duty Officer in Akola, was detained on June 26 while allegedly accepting the bribe. Follow-up searches at his sealed residence in Jalgaon’s Vishnunagar locality yielded cash, gold, property papers and other items totaling Rs 2.94 crore, according to officials.
The operation involved Anti-Corruption Bureau teams from Nashik, Akola and Jalgaon as part of the continuing inquiry into the case filed against the officer.
RECOVERED ITEMS TOTAL RS 2.94 CRORE
The bureau reported the precise value of seized assets at Rs 2,94,64,847. The items comprised Rs 1,53,84,630 in cash, gold jewellery and biscuits weighing 422.1 grams valued at Rs 60,57,135, silver jewellery of 154.1 grams worth Rs 31,416, gold purchase receipts of Rs 11,52,745, property documents amounting to Rs 62,13,376 and household goods valued at Rs 6,25,545.
Two 160-gram gold biscuits were among the recovered items. Property deeds, gift documents and purchase records connected to assets allegedly held by Chaudhary and relatives were also taken.
Additional Superintendent of Police Pradeep Mairale stated the assets were placed in the district treasury and that checks are underway to determine if the wealth exceeds known income sources.
ATTEMPT TO ACCESS SEALED PROPERTY THWARTED
Permission for the search was granted during the probe into the case registered at City Kotwali Police Station in Akola under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
On June 25 officers found the property locked and secured it with witnesses present. Two days later two relatives of the accused reportedly forced entry through rear and front doors, prompting fears of evidence tampering.
Both individuals were detained on site. A separate case was filed at District Peth Police Station in Jalgaon under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The men were named Prasad Vasant Narkhede and Pravin Ashok Mahajan.
SEARCH HELD WITH FAMILY AND SPECIALISTS
A thorough examination of the house took place on July 2 with Chaudhary’s wife Manisha Kiran Chaudhary, other relatives, independent witnesses, a gold valuer and a bank cashier in attendance.
The effort uncovered the cash, precious metals, records and valuables, broadening the investigation considerably.
INQUIRY MOVES PAST INITIAL BRIBERY ALLEGATION
The matter began on June 26 when Akola ACB personnel, headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police Milind Bahakar, reportedly caught Chaudhary accepting the bribe at the District Collectorate.
After arrest he was remanded to police custody for one day then sent to judicial custody, where he remains.
With assets nearing Rs 3 crore recovered, investigators are tracing the origin of the funds and checking for possible involvement of others in building or hiding the wealth. Further steps will follow the results of the continuing probe.
