SVU registers DA case against assistant engineer

Patna: The Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) on Wednesday registered a disproportionate assets (DA) case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against Roshan Kumar, a contractual assistant engineer posted at the district education project office in Bettiah.

Kumar was arrested on March 1, 2026, after being caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh along with a smart watch. During a subsequent search of his house in Bettiah, SVU officials recovered Rs 42 lakh in cash kept in a carton on a roof ledge.

According to the SVU, Kumar’s total income since his appointment in Oct 2023 was Rs 11.6 lakh, while his expenditure stood at Rs 3.86 lakh, leaving savings of Rs 7.73 lakh. However, the cash seized far exceeded his savings, resulting in disproportionate assets worth Rs 34.27 lakh—around 295% more than his known income.

Additional director general of police (SVU) Pankaj Kumar Darad said Kumar was drawing a monthly salary of Rs 40,000 and that further investigation is underway.