The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into an alleged tender scam and money-laundering case in Bihar and has summoned seven IAS officers for questioning, Patna Press reported on Tuesday. The summonses follow critical observations by the Patna High Court on October 15 during a hearing in the case.
Source: Patna Press
According to the report, the seven officers include one of Additional Chief Secretary rank, two Principal Secretaries and three Secretaries, and one of the officers has retired. A forensic examination of a contractor's phone reportedly revealed chats with officers, and one woman officer of Secretary rank has already appeared before the ED to present her side, the report said, citing sources. The officers' alleged roles remain under investigation.
The case centres on contractor Rishu Shree and his firm Reliable Infra Service Private Limited. Investigators are examining allegations that confidential technical details of government tenders were shared in advance, that tender conditions were manipulated to favour particular parties, and that officials received bribes or other inducements in return. These are allegations under investigation, not findings established in court.
The Patna High Court's October 15 observations, reported by the Press Trust of India, questioned the direction of the probe by the ED and Bihar's Special Vigilance Unit (SVU). Justice Satyavrat Verma observed that the authorities appeared to be trying to “save some and implicate few”, and that Shree, who is in judicial custody, appeared to be a “pawn” rather than the kingpin, while the principal actors remained “behind the curtains”.
Source: PTI via News89
The case dates back to a 2023 FIR registered at Rupaspur police station in Patna. The SVU filed a charge sheet in June 2026 naming seven people as the primary accused, and has arrested officials including Joint Secretary Mumukshu Chaudhary, Chief Engineer Tarini Das and Executive Engineer Umesh Kumar Singh. Two IAS officers, Abhilasha Kumari Sharma and Yogesh Kumar Sagar, were suspended by the state government in connection with the case, and the ED probe is examining their alleged links to the suspected network.
In a written answer in the Lok Sabha on July 20, 2026, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary confirmed that the ED is investigating the matter under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and has attached properties worth Rs 68.09 crore (yaani about 68 crore rupees). The investigation is continuing.