Patna, Sept. 5: Raids on an additional collector’s office and residence today led to seizure of assets worth Rs 5.5 crore he amassed in around 20 years as an officer of the Bihar Administrative Service.

Vijay Pratap Singh, hailing from Uttar Pradesh and posted at the office of the divisional commissioner of Darbhanga, has been accused of accumulating property disproportionate to his known sources of income during his posting as the sub-divisional officer (SDO) of Marhaura and Hathua in Saran district. His monthly income is around Rs 97,000.

Singh’s ill-gotten wealth was detected during a search of his office and residential premises by officials of the vigilance investigation bureau in Darbhanga and Deoria in Uttar Pradesh (UP) today. The additional collector was, however, not present at the time of the raid, either at his office or his official residence in Darbhanga.

Deputy inspector-general (vigilance) Pradeep Kumar Sinha said the officials conducted raids at four places in Darbhanga and Deoria and seized documents related to huge investments and purchase of immovable property at different places in UP and Haryana. The team assigned to conduct raids in UP was headed by the superintendent of police (vigilance) Upendra Prasad Sinha.

The seized documents revealed that Singh had Rs 1.25 crore as deposits in 14 accounts with different nationalised commercial banks.

He had also invested Rs 24.4 lakh in fixed deposits and national savings certificates. He also owned a petrol pump and a cooking gas agency in UP, the raids revealed.

The DIG said the additional collector is reported to have accumulated disproportionate assets worth Rs 5.50 crore during the check period of 1984-85 to 2006-07. “More property may come to light in the probe,” he said.