Govt orders FIR against Saharsa mayor over alleged fund misuse

Patna: Urban development and housing department (UDHD) has ordered the immediate registration of an FIR against Saharsa mayor Bain Priya, her private secretary Rajiv Kumar, and his wife for alleged financial irregularities and misuse of public funds.

The allegations pertain to the suspected siphoning of nearly Rs50 lakh per month under the head of street-lighting and decorative-lighting maintenance. The complaint, filed by local resident Rahul Kumar Paswan of Kosi Colony, accuses the trio of diverting funds meant for civic works.


Acting on the complaint, DM Deepesh Kumar constituted a three-tier inquiry committee, whose findings reportedly pointed to suspicious involvement of the mayor, her aide and his wife in the alleged misuse of govt funds.

Following the committee’s report, the department on Wednesday directed the Saharsa municipal commissioner to lodge an FIR against the three within three days and submit a compliance report.

According to the department's findings, contracts were executed through Aim of People and Narishakti Infratech & Development Pvt. Ltd., both firms were registered in the name of the PS's wife. Payments in lakhs were allegedly released monthly from govt funds without due verification of work quality, defects, or actual execution, pointing to deliberate misuse. Investigations further uncovered evidence of large-scale unauthorised fund transfers — running into crores — between the two entities, raising suspicions of a coordinated mechanism to divert public money.

The department also stressed strict accountability, instructing that if any govt official or municipal corporation employee is found complicit during the investigation, a detailed proposal for disciplinary action must be sent to the department headquarters within a week.