Bihar EOU raids engineer Pawan Kumar at 6 locations, assets 103% above income
Synopsis
Bihar's Economic Offences Unit descended on six properties across Patna, Bhagalpur, Noida, and Delhi linked to a senior state engineer whose assets allegedly exceed his known income by nearly 104 per cent. With 13 properties, ₹39 lakh in jewellery, ₹90 lakh in accounts, and 14 insurance policies on the table, the scale of the alleged accumulation — spanning nearly three decades of government service — makes this one of the larger disproportionate-assets cases to surface in Bihar this year.
Key Takeaways
Bihar EOU raided six locations linked to Pawan Kumar , Superintending Engineer, Building Design Circle-I, Patna, on 24 June .
Preliminary findings allege assets exceeding known income by 103.94 per cent ; a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered.
Documents for 13 properties recovered; ₹5.15 lakh cash, jewellery worth approximately ₹39 lakh , and nearly ₹90 lakh in bank and PPF accounts identified.
Between 2021 and 2023 , nine deeds were executed for commercial land of 134.88 decimals in the names of Kumar's wife and sons.
Properties span Patna , Bhagalpur , Noida , and Dwarka, New Delhi ; account-freezing proceedings have been initiated.
The Building Construction Department has been formally notified; investigation is ongoing.
The Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar on Wednesday, 24 June conducted simultaneous searches at six locations linked to Pawan Kumar, Superintending Engineer, Building Design Circle-I, Patna, who also holds charge as Director of the Design Unit under the Building Construction Department. The raids follow allegations that Kumar amassed assets disproportionate to his known income over the course of his government service — preliminary findings suggest the excess stands at 103.94 per cent.
Locations Searched
EOU teams, operating under warrants issued by the Special Vigilance Court, Patna, fanned out across properties spread over multiple states. The premises covered included Flat No. B-305, Yamuna Niwas Apartment, North Sri Krishnapuri, Patna — where Kumar's family currently resides — his ancestral home in Bhagalpur, a flat in Sector 75, Noida, another residential unit in Noida, and a flat in Sector 10, Dwarka, New Delhi, along with other linked premises identified during the investigation. Search operations continued until late Wednesday evening under the supervision of Deputy Superintendents of Police and police inspectors.
Assets and Documents Recovered
Investigators recovered documents pertaining to 13 properties — including land plots, flats, and residential buildings — allegedly acquired during Kumar's service tenure. At the Patna residence alone, teams found ₹5.15 lakh in cash, jewellery with purchase invoices, and additional jewellery valued at approximately ₹39 lakh. Nearly ₹90 lakh was identified across various bank and Public Provident Fund (PPF) accounts held by Kumar and his family members; authorities have initiated proceedings to freeze these accounts.
Documents relating to 14 insurance policies were also recovered — comprising six LIC policies, four Bajaj Allianz policies, one ICICI Prudential policy, and three Max Life policies — with annual premium payments estimated at approximately ₹3 lakh. A Honda City car registered in the family's name was seized during the searches.
Property Trail Across Years
According to the EOU, Kumar and his wife Avedika Singh jointly purchased a flat at Yamuna Niwas Apartment, Patna in 2007. The following year, he acquired a two-storey house in Ashiana Nagar, Patna. Between 2021 and 2023, nine registration deeds were executed for commercial land measuring approximately 134.88 decimals in the names of his wife and sons; a boundary wall has been constructed around the parcel, and its market valuation is currently being assessed. Documents related to flats previously purchased in Max Bliss Society, Noida Sector 75 and Arihant Arden Society, Greater Noida — both subsequently sold — were also found.
Background and Legal Action
Kumar joined government service as an Assistant Engineer in July 1997. The EOU had earlier registered a case against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The FIR alleges possession of assets disproportionate to known income. Investigators are additionally reviewing substantial expenditure on his children's education and have obtained evidence of foreign travel by family members, with associated expenses under assessment. Officials said information about additional assets allegedly purchased in Noida and nearby areas is being verified.
The EOU has formally notified the Building Construction Department about the case. Officials stated that evidence gathered so far strongly indicates the existence of disproportionate assets, though the investigation remains ongoing and further findings may emerge as the probe progresses.
Point of View
From Patna and Bhagalpur to Noida and Dwarka, suggests a deliberate dispersal strategy that routine vigilance audits evidently missed. Bihar's EOU has been more active in recent years, but cases like this raise the question of why internal departmental checks did not flag an engineer whose property acquisitions spanned multiple states and nearly two decades. The real accountability test will be whether the Building Construction Department conducts its own internal review — or waits for the courts to compel one.
NationPress
24 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Pawan Kumar and why was he raided?
Pawan Kumar is the Superintending Engineer of Building Design Circle-I, Patna, and Director of the Design Unit under Bihar's Building Construction Department. The EOU raided him on 24 June following allegations that he accumulated assets disproportionate to his known income — preliminary findings put the excess at 103.94 per cent of his legitimate earnings.
What did investigators find during the Bihar EOU raids?
Investigators recovered documents for 13 properties, ₹5.15 lakh in cash, jewellery valued at approximately ₹39 lakh, and identified nearly ₹90 lakh in bank and PPF accounts. They also found documents for 14 insurance policies and a Honda City car registered in the family's name.
Under which law has the case been registered against Pawan Kumar?
The EOU registered a case against Pawan Kumar under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The FIR specifically alleges possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income during his government service.
Which locations were covered in the EOU raids?
Six locations were searched, spanning Patna (Yamuna Niwas Apartment and Ashiana Nagar), Bhagalpur (ancestral residence), Noida (Sector 75 flat and another residential unit), and Dwarka, New Delhi (Sector 10 flat), along with other linked premises identified during the investigation.
What happens next in the Pawan Kumar disproportionate assets case?
Authorities have initiated proceedings to freeze the identified bank and PPF accounts. Investigators are verifying additional assets reportedly purchased in Noida and nearby areas. The Building Construction Department has been formally notified, and the investigation is continuing under the EOU.
