K. Santhil Kumar. Telegraph picture

Patna, Feb. 8: The ambitious census process may kick off a row as an IAS officer facing corruption charges has been assigned to monitor the survey in Bihar that is slated to start on Wednesday.

K. Santhil Kumar, the officer in question, is at present posted as director of census operations in Bihar despite he being named an accused in a case related to large-scale corruption during his tenure as Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner.

The case, lodged under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and different sections of the Indian Penal Code, relate to criminal breach of trust, forgery, cheating and criminal conspiracy. The vigilance investigation bureau is investigating the case.

The bureau lodged a case against Santhil, a 1996-batch Bihar cadre IAS officer, on the directive of chief minister Nitish Kumar, who had received a complaint of gross financial irregularities in the PMC between February 2009 and March 2010, when Santhil was the commissioner.

The officer later moved on central deputation and is now posted as director, census (Bihar).

“The bureau has sought prosecution sanction from the central government to initiate further action against Santhil, who along with 13 others, has been named accused in a case lodged with the vigilance investigation bureau,” vigilance commissioner A.K. Chauhan told The Telegraph a week ago.

Sources in the bureau said the letter seeking prosecution sanction against Santhil was sent to the General Administrative Department about two months ago. “The prosecution sanction is still awaited,” confirmed additional superintendent of police (vigilance) P.N. Mishra, who is also investigating officer of the case.

The new assignment entrusted to the “tainted” IAS officer has created a flutter in the administrative circles here. A senior police officer posted at the state police headquarters said the census involved a lot of expenses. “Under such circumstances, how can an officer facing corruption charges be fair?” a senior IPS officer asked.

The investigation carried out by the bureau revealed that Santhil connived with building developers and land mafias for “personal” gains. The probe found that then PMC commissioner cleared maps for under construction buildings in gross violation of the prescribed norms.

The investigating agency found that defaulters in 130 multi-storey buildings incurred loss of Rs 7.46 crore by not paying five-time penalty to the corporation for contravening building rules such as exceeding construction.

The former PMC commissioner, who had sneaked out from the backdoor of PMC office on Budh Marg at the time of a raid conducted by the bureau officials, also, allegedly granted advertisement rights to companies in hoardings and allowed purchase of trucks and equipment in gross violation of the prescribed rules.

“So far we have collected enough evidence to get the accused in the PMC bungling case prosecuted,” said investigating officer of the case Prakash Nath Mishra.

Besides Santhil, additional PMC commissioner Vaidyanath Das and PMC executive engineer Brahmadeo Dubey have been named as accused in the case. The bureau has also booked unnamed related beneficiary company, firm, builders and landowners.

Santhil could not be contacted for his comments. An employee posted at the office of the directorate of census department in Patna said: “Come next time to see the officer. He is not available right now.”