Ranchi: The Jharkhand Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Sunday questioned Swapna Sanchita, the wife of suspended IAS officer Vinay Kumar Chaubey, in connection with a disproportionate assets case. Officials said this was the second round of questioning, following an earlier session on December 3. A team of senior officers visited Chaubey’s residence on Kanke Road to record her statement as part of the ongoing inquiry.
The FIR related to the disproportionate assets case was registered on November 24, making it the fourth case in which Chaubey has been named an accused. He had earlier been booked in three separate cases, including two related to a land scam in Hazaribagh and another linked to a liquor scam.
The ACB said the latest case was registered under sections 49 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 13(1)(b) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (Amendment Act, 2018). Apart from Chaubey, the accused include his wife Swapna Sanchita, his father-in-law Satyendra Nath Trivedi, his brother-in-law Shipij Trivedi, the latter’s wife Priyanka Trivedi, and Chaubey’s associate Vinay Kumar Singh along with Singh’s wife Snigdha Singh.
According to the ACB, the action stemmed from the analysis of documents seized during searches at Chaubey’s locations. Investigators said the materials suggested that the suspended bureaucrat had amassed significant wealth through illegal means. The press release issued after the FIR stated that Chaubey, a first-class public servant, allegedly diverted funds, received commissions, and made substantial investments with the help of family members and associates.
The ACB further noted that Chaubey’s expenditures had exceeded his legitimate income during his service period. An analysis of his bank accounts reportedly revealed negligible household spending, which the ACB described as abnormal, stating that typically one-third of a public servant’s income goes toward household expenses.
The investigation is ongoing, and more questioning of individuals connected to the case is expected in the coming days.
