Former Patna municipal commissioner chargesheeted

The bureau submitted the charge sheet in the court of designated vigilance judge here yesterday.

The vigilance during investigation found that due to the action of Senthil, a 1996 batch IAS officer, prima facie guilty of allotting contracts to some firms during his stint as the commissioner of the municipal body, had led to loss of revenue worth Rs 7.46 crore.

The IAS officer was also charged with accepting bribes against contracts for purchase of pumps, machines, hoarding space and also giving approvals to building plans in connivance with builders and hotel owners in the city, vigilance sources said.

Senthil was found guilty of being instrumental for loss to PMC exchequer to the tune of Rs 40.38 lakh by wrongfully alloting hoardings to certain advertisement agencies.

The vigilance found irregularities in approval of plans of 130 multi-storied buildings during Senthil's tenure in the PMC.

Altogether 14 persons were named accused in the corruption case, which surfaced in 2010 and was subsequently handed over to the vigilance, they said.

A case was filed by the vigilance on July 21, 2010 in this connection.

The investigation agency is inquiring into the alleged involvement of 11 others in the case.