Bihar government on Saturday suspended two IAS officers — Abhilasha Kumari Sharma and Yogesh Kumar Sagar — over their alleged links with arrested contractor and middleman Rishu Shree in a widening corruption probe involving charges of “commission-for-contract” practices and illegal gratification.
A notification to this effect was issued by the General Administration Department. Officials said the suspension is likely to be followed by FIRs filed by the Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) over allegations of corruption, undue benefits, and irregular financial dealings, including foreign trips allegedly arranged by the contractor.
According to officials, the SVU has been investigating a suspected network of senior and mid-level bureaucrats involved in manipulating government tenders in exchange for commissions. The action against the two officers was taken based on findings and observations submitted by SVU Additional Director General Pankaj Kumar Darad, who had earlier sought permission to register FIRs against them after receiving inputs from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Investigators allege that contractor Rishu Shree facilitated expensive foreign and domestic trips, luxury gadgets, and other benefits to officials in return for favours in securing and managing government contracts. The SVU also suspects that he played a key role in influencing tenders across departments, including water resources, urban development, building construction, and housing.
Sharma, a 2014-batch IAS officer, was serving as MGNREGA commissioner and additional CEO of the Jeevika rural livelihoods scheme at the time of suspension. She has previously served as Sitamarhi District Magistrate and held positions in the finance department. Sagar, a 2017-batch IAS officer, was posted as joint secretary in the social welfare department and has earlier served as managing director of BUIDCO and Bhagalpur municipal commissioner.
Officials said Rishu allegedly funded overseas trips to Europe, provided high-end mobile phones and tablets, and carried out interior decoration work for the accused officers as part of a larger quid pro quo arrangement linked to tender manipulation.
The SVU arrested Rishu earlier this week after conducting raids at multiple locations, including the premises of his firm, Reliable Infra Services Private Limited, in connection with a case registered on April 30, 2025. During the searches, officials seized gold, diamond, and silver ornaments worth several crores, Rs 2.5 lakh in cash, multiple land documents, bank passbooks, and evidence of investments.
Investigators also uncovered links between Rishu and multiple companies involved in government projects, including allegations that tenders were diverted or subcontracted through shell arrangements.
Officials said the arrest was made amid fears that the accused might flee the country and potentially tamper with evidence or influence witnesses.
Rishu’s name had earlier surfaced in Enforcement Directorate investigations related to a 1997-batch IAS officer, Sanjeev Hans, who was arrested in 2024 in a money laundering case involving alleged assets worth over Rs 150 crore. The ED had also conducted raids across multiple cities and seized assets worth Rs 68 crore linked to Rishu and his associates.
The investigation into the wider network is currently ongoing, with the SVU indicating that more officials and private individuals may come under scrutiny as the probe progresses.
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