Bihar’s Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) on Wednesday arrested three government officers in connection with an alleged multi-layered tender scam involving senior bureaucrats and contractors, while a senior IAS officer named in the case, Sanjeev Hans, remains untraceable, officials said. The arrests came after the SVU questioned the accused in detail following an FIR registered in the case. Those taken into custody include former joint secretary-level officer Mumukshu Choudhary from the Finance Department, former chief engineer Tarini Das of the Building Construction Department, and executive engineer Umesh Kumar Singh from the Urban Development and Housing Department.

Investigators said the probe is linked to alleged irregularities in state government tenders, where officials are suspected of facilitating contracts in exchange for illegal benefits. The SVU has been examining the roles of several officers and engineers after preliminary findings indicated a coordinated pattern of manipulation in awarding public works contracts. According to officials, IAS officer Sanjeev Hans, another key accused in the case, could not be located during the latest round of searches. Sources indicated that he may be out of the state, and efforts are underway to trace his whereabouts as part of the ongoing investigation.

The case is also linked to earlier action against alleged middleman Rishu Ranjan Sinha, also known as Rishu Shree, who was arrested in connection with a wider fraud and money laundering probe. Investigators allege he played a central role in influencing tenders through his firm “Reliable Infra Services” and channelled illicit benefits to officials through various means. Authorities further claim that some officials received financial inducements and luxury benefits, including expensive foreign trips, in exchange for favouring specific contractors in state projects.

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The SVU and other investigative agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate in earlier raids, have reportedly uncovered large cash seizures and suspicious financial transactions during searches linked to the accused network. The arrested officers are expected to be produced before a court, with the SVU likely to seek their custody for further interrogation. Officials said the next phase of the probe will focus on tracing financial trails, property holdings, and broader links within what is suspected to be a wider corruption network involving multiple departments.

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