Patna: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has stepped up its investigation into the alleged tender scam linked to contractor Rishu Shree, summoning six IAS officers from Bihar for questioning. The agency is examining the tender process, financial transactions and other aspects of the alleged irregularities.Six officers summoned by the ED are Anand Kishor, Santosh Kumar Mall, Dharmendra Kumar, Yogesh Kumar Sagar, Abhilasha Kumari Sharma and Sunil Yadav. The officers have been called separately for questioning as the agency seeks to establish their roles and obtain details related to the alleged tender syndicate.According to ED officials, Sunil was questioned at the ED office on Tuesday, while Abhilasha’s statement was recorded by the agency on Monday. Santosh has been summoned for questioning on Oct 29, while Anand is scheduled to appear before the ED on Oct 30.The ED has been questioning the officers about the tendering process, decisions taken during the relevant period, financial transactions and other circumstances surrounding the alleged scam. However, details of the statements recorded during the questioning have not been officially disclosed so far.The case had originally been registered in 2023, and the ED has been investigating the alleged money-laundering aspects of the matter. The probe gained fresh momentum following observations made by the Patna high court on Oct 15 while hearing a petition filed by Rishu.During the hearing, the high court observed that Rishu appeared to be more of a “pawn” and the kingpin are behind the curtain in the alleged money-laundering case. The court also questioned whether those who played a major role in the alleged scam were operating behind the scenes.
