Jharkhand suspends senior IAS officer on corruption charges

The Jharkhand government suspended a senior Indian Administrative Service officer on corruption charges, officials said.

The Jharkhand government on Tuesday suspended a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer on corruption charges, officials said.

HT Image

Avinash Kumar was suspended on the basis of CBI raids conducted at his residences Aug 3, officials said.

CBI had filed a case against Kumar for reportedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income and had recommended that the state government should lodge a case under the Excise Act in Ranchi.

Last week the Jharkhand government had removed Kumar from the position of secretary of water resources department.

CBI had simultaneously conducted raids at various residences of Kumar and Rajesh Thakur who was the personal secretary of the former Jharkhand governor Syed Sibte Razi and also at the home of a builder called Guddu Singh.

Razi is at present governor of Assam. Kumar was officer on special duty (OSD) of Razi.

According to CBI sources, documents relating to investment and assets were found during raids of Kumar's residences. A few cartons of foreign liquor was also recovered. CBI has initiated evaluation of the assets and investments made by Kumar.

Kumar is a 1993 batch IAS officer. He became the second OSD of the governor after President's Rule was imposed in Jharkhand in January.