Vigilance court orders confiscation of unaccounted assets of

A vigilance court today ordered confiscation of properties worth Rs 34.50 lakh that belonged to Ambuj Kumar, the then Assistant Director of Urban Development and Housing Department, Patna.
Special Vigilance Judge-cum-Additional District and Sessions, Patna, Vipul Sinha, gave the order after the prosecution submitted that he had amassed the amount through corrupt means during service.
Income Tax department officials had conducted raids at Kumar's office and ancestral house at Vinoba Path, Postal Park, Chiraiyatand in Patna between December 2, to 9, 1998 and seized documents relating to investments.
Following assessment of the value of Kumar's properties, the vigilance department had on October 25, 2007 submitted charge sheet against the tainted Assistant Director in the special vigilance court with a plea for confiscation of all those properties amassed through illegal means under Bihar Special Courts Act, 2009.

During search at the then Assistant Director's residence and office, the vigilance sleuths had seized his properties worth Rs 34,50,358 that included Rs 29,64,096 in cash, gold ornaments of Rs 1,27,665, investment in shares of Rs 1,13,600 and deposits of Rs 2,44,997 with banks and post office, the vigilance department said in the charge sheet.
Vigilance department had launched a probe and initiated a case against him under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 at vigilance police station on August 28, 2000.
After hearing both the parties, the designated special vigilance court passed the confiscation order.