Thaindian News

Ranchi, June 26 (IANS) The Jharkhand vigilance department Friday sought arrest warrants against two former ministers Enos Ekka and Harinarayan Rai on corruption charges, an official said.
“We have asked for arrest warrants against both the former ministers. We will seek remand of both if the warrants are issued by the court,” a vigilance department official told IANS.

“While investigating the case, we found Enos Ekka had assets worth Rs.3.73 crore (over Rs.37 million) more than his known sources of income and Rai had assets worth Rs.1.16 crore more than his known income,” the official said.

The vigilance court is likely to hear the vigilance department’s petition next week and decide on issuing the arrest warrants.

In November last year, a case was lodged against both former ministers by the vigilance department at the directive of the vigilance court under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The charges slapped against the two in the first information report include swindling government funds, amassing wealth in an illegal way and conspiracy.

The vigilance court had directed the department to file the charges when it heard a petition by Vinod Kumar, a resident of Jharkhand’s Deoghar district last year. In his petition, Vinod Kumar had alleged that Ekka and Rai had amassed wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income since they became legislators and later ministers in 2005.

Both had submitted the details of their assets and sources of income to the vigilance department in February. The department questioned the two and even conducted searches at their houses.