Patna: Aurangabad district magistrate (DM) Kanwal Tanuj was finally transferred following a search carried out by CBI at his residence and office. A notification issued by the general administration department on Monday stated that the 2010-batch IAS officer had been transferred to the rural development department as joint secretary. He was replaced by Rahul Ranjan Mahiwal, a 2005 IAS officer currently special secretary in the rural development department.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday conducted a raid at the residence of Tanuj and registered a corruption case against the IAS officer. The raid was conducted in connection with irregularities committed in land acquisition at the Nabinagar area of the district for a power plant by Bhartiya Rail Bijlee Company Ltd (BRBCL), a subsidiary of NTPC.

Tanuj was called to the CBI office in Patna on Saturday and he was questioned for seven hours. Sources in the CBI said Tanuj was questioned at an undisclosed location.

He was showed the documents that were seized during a search of his residence. The interrogators also showed him the transactions of money from bank accounts of his family members. During the seven-hour-long interrogation, Tanuj tried to convince the interrogators but in vain. The officials also sought information about his family's property in Lucknow and Noida.

After quizzing by the CBI, Tanuj proceeded on a four-day leave after handing over the charge to district public grievance redressal officer Gajendra Mishra. Earlier, Mohammad Majoor Ali, the district land acquisition officer of Aurangabad, was questioned by the CBI officials.

Sources said the CBI officials also interrogated a senior deputy collector of Aurangabad, Ram Anugrah, and inquired about the acquisition of land for the Nabinagar power plant and payment of compensation to the owners. The state government, however, has not taken any action against Tanuj even after charges of financial irregularities levelled against him and others. They claimed that action would be initiated only after the CBI officially communicated their charges against him. However, for now he has been shifted and there were speculations that he may face further action.