CBI raids Jharkhand Cong working president Bandhu Tirkey in court-ordered probe

CBI conducted the raids as part of its investigation into the 2011 National Games ordered by the Jharkhand high court. Tirkey was arrested in the case in 2019 as well when the state vigilance officials investigated the charges

RANCHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting raids at residences of former Jharkhand sports minister Bandhu Tirkey in connection with financial irregularities in conducting the 34th National Games in 2011, people aware of the development said.

Jharkhand Congress working president Bandhu Tirkey was convicted for disproportionate assets in March this year, leading to his disqualification from the state assembly (HT File Photo)

Tirkey, who joined the Congress in 2020 and was appointed as working president of Jharkhand Congress last year, is in national capital Delhi for party meetings, an aide in his office said.

Tirkey’s aide said a CBI team reached Tirkey’s private residence in Banhaura area on the outskirts of Ranchi early on Thursday. Minutes later, another team also arrived at the official residence in Morhabadi area in the state capital.

To be sure, Tirkey was convicted for holding assets disproportionate to his income in March this year and disqualified from the 81-seat state assembly in April. On Wednesday, the Election Commission notified the by-election for Mandar assembly seat that has been represented by Tirkey thrice.

In April, the Jharkhand high court ordered CBI investigation, transferring investigations into the National Games scam from the state’s anti-corruption bureau (ACB) to the federal agency. ACB arrested Tirkey in September 2019 in connection with the case but was later released on bail from the Jharkhand high court