Tightening noose around suspended principal of Digha-based Industrial Training Institute (ITI) Manoj Mankar, the state vigilance bureau on Wednesday sought permission from the special vigilance court in Patna to confiscate his disproportionate assets and that of his family members worth Rs 78.9 lakh.

Mankar is the 18th government employee against whom the process of confiscation of disproportionate assets has been initiated by the state government under the provisions of the Bihar Special Courts Act, 2009.

The bureau submitted a petition in the special vigilance court headed by R.C. Mishra requesting the latter to issue an order for confiscation of property amassed by Mankar, his wife Sweta Mankar, daughter-in-law Indu Mankar and two others. The bureau had carried out raids on residential premises of Mankar in Patna and a private ITI institute at Haveli Kharagpur in Munger district on July 29, 2009 following complaints that he (Mankar) accepted illegal gratification from examinees in lieu of giving them admission to the ITI through fraudulent means.

Mankar was the examination controller when the raid was conducted. During the raid at Mankar’s different residences in Patna, Rs 12.2 lakh, jewellery worth Rs 5.66 lakh and documents of huge investments were seized. While searching Mankar’s locker, the bureau team had seized Rs 11 lakh. Documents related to two flats at Jyotipuram Apartment and Monika Apartment in Patna besides a plot of land measuring one cottah and 11 dhur in Danapur and a Maruti car were also seized.

In the course of investigation, the bureau officials learnt that Mankar was running a private ITI at Haveli Kharagpur in Munger district despite holding an important position at ITI, Digha. He was also running a trust to invest ill-gotten money.

The father of Shailendra Kumar Sinha, who is also an accused in the case, was made the managing director of the trust. Mankar’s wife was its member, a senior bureau officer associated with the investigation said.

The bureau submitted chargesheet against Mankar and five others in the special vigilance court on August 23, 2010. While the trial is pending, the bureau approached the vigilance court for confiscation of Mankar’s property.

Additional director-general of police (vigilance) Pramod Kumar Thakur said: “The government has given its nod to initiate the process of confiscation of disproportionate assets against 44 government employees. In some cases, the court has given permission, while others are pending in the court.”