House of Raghuvansh Kunwar. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Patna, Feb. 6: The person who tipped off the authorities about former motor vehicle inspector (MVI) of Aurangabad Raghuvansh Kunwar, whose disproportionate assets are likely to be confiscated under the provisions of the Special Courts Act 2009, had not imagined that a mere information would fetch him heavy returns.

The informer is likely to be paid a hefty sum as reward from the vigilance department for giving information about the illegal activities of Kunwar. The inspector was caught red-handed by vigilance investigation bureau sleuths while taking Rs 50,000 as bribe on September 24, 2008. Later, a disproportionate assets case was lodged against him.

During investigation, it was found that Kunwar, a resident of Samastipur, had amassed disproportionate assets worth Rs 53 lakh. He owns a palatial house in Patna as well as in his native village at Khaira besides two plots and investment worth Rs 8 lakh. The government has already initiated the process of confiscation of his unaccounted wealth.

As per the official notification issued by the vigilance department, the informers are entitled to get two per cent of the total cost of the accounted property but not above Rs 5 lakh, after successful operation. In normal cases, a sum of Rs 1,000 to Rs 50,000 is paid to the informers depending on the significance of the information about embezzlement or misappropriation of public funds.

In addition, the independent informers can also avail transportation expenses from their native place to the court or fare of second-class sleeper (after production of PNR numbers/tickets) and daily allowance (food and lodging) up to Rs 200 each for two days.

A senior official of the vigilance bureau, however, said that the reward is given only to those persons whose information resulted in seizure of unaccounted wealth of public servants. Those who report the matter to the bureau after being victimised are not entitled to the reward announced for giving information to anti-corruption wing of the state government.

Additional superintendent of police (vigilance) P.N. Mishra admitted that one person (a former member of Parliament from Magadh division) has claimed for a reward of Rs 50,000 for giving information to the bureau about corrupt practices prevalent in the Bihar State Food Corporation (BSFC), a few years ago. The special vigilance court had convicted the accused.

“In 99 per cent cases, people pass on the information about unlawful activities of public servants to the bureau after being victimised. Under such circumstances, they are not informers but complainants. The complainants can’t claim for the rewards,” the ASP clarified.

Mishra said most of the disproportionate assets cases have been lodged by the bureau on its own information.