The Patna High Court has dismissed an appeal filed by former woman constable Shakuntala Devi challenging a district court's decision to confiscate her properties worth Rs three crore relating to a disproportionate assets case.
According to a release issued by the Vigilance department today, the High Court on June 30 upheld the order passed by Special Vigilance Court, Muzaffarpur for confiscation of Shakuntala Devi's properties.
Shakuntala Devi was posted as constable with the Samastipur District Armed Police and was charged with siphoning off public money along with two other persons. The matter came to light in 2012.
The Vigilance Court had ordered for confiscation of her movable and immovable assets worth Rs 1.33 crore whose current market value was assessed at Rs three crore.
A disproportionate assets case was lodged against Shakuntala Devi by the Vigilance Bureau on February 16, 2012 during a raid at her house in which incriminating documents relating to movable and immovable assets were found.
It may be noted that the Vigilance Department had also lodged disproportionate assets case against Sushil Kumar Choudhary and constable Baby Kumari at the time of incident.
Sushil Kumar Choudhary, an accountant with the Muzaffarpur District Armed Police, had allegedly siphoned off government money by illegally withdrawing treasury bills worth Rs seven crore and transferred a part of the amount to the bank accounts of Baby Kumari and Shakuntala Devi, the release said.
The assets of Choudhary and Kumari have already been confiscated by the authorities, the release added.
