Ranchi, Aug. 27: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has recommended the state administration to start departmental proceedings with major penalty against IAS officer Avinash Kumar, who was officer on special duty at Raj Bhavan during the tenure of former Governor Syed Sibtey Razi.

The CBI, in its report submitted to the chief secretary yesterday, had said that the agency could not chargesheet Kumar, as the investigation could establish merely 12 per cent more assets that were disproportionate to his known sources of income.

The CBI had raided the premises of Kumar, an IAS officer of 1993 batch, on August 17, 2009 and lodged an FIR for possessing disproportionate assets.

During investigation, the CBI found that Kumar possessed property worth Rs 1.35 crore, acquired through known sources of income.

State personnel secretary Aditya Swaroop confirmed that he had received the report, but refused to divulge details. Sources said the CBI normally did not file a chargesheet if the percentage of disproportionate assets was found to be low, like in Kumar’s case, because then it became tough to prove the case in court.

“Under the recommendation for departmental proceedings with major penalty, the state can also terminate Kumar’s services. The decision now rests on the state administration,” said a CBI source.