Disproportionate Assets Case: Jharkhand Congress Leader Bandhu Tirkey Gets 3-Year Jail Term

Congress leader Bandhu Tirkey had accumulated Rs 6,28,698 when he was a minister in the state during 2005-2009. 

Jharkhand Congress leader Bandhu Tirkey (PTI file)

New Delhi: A special CBI court on Monday sentenced Jharkhand Congress leader Bandhu Tirkey to three years rigorous imprisonment in a disproportionate assets case, ANI reported.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 3 lakh on Bandhu Tirkey. Tirkey had accumulated Rs 6,28,698 when he was a minister in the state in the Madhu Koda government during 2005-2009. 

Asked about the court's order, the 62-year-old Mandar MLA said, "I trust the court. Whatever judgment had to be given, has been given...I will speak with my lawyer."

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In 2018, he was arrested by the CBI from his residence at Banhora in Ranchi district. He later got bail.

The vigilance department had filed a complaint related to the disproportionate case following which a FIR was registered by the vigilance bureau. Later, the Jharkhand High Court handed over the case to the CBI and later a closure report was filed in the case. 

In the FIR, it was mentioned that Bandhut Tirkey had shown Rs 60,000 as cash and a car in his property while filing the affidavit for contesting the polls, reports said. However, during his stint as a minister, he brought a flat worth Rs 8 crore in Vasant Vihar of New Delhi.

The Jharkhand leader is no stranger to controversies.

In 2019, he was arrested in connection with the multi-crore games equipment purchase scam in the run-up to 34th National Games held in Ranchi in 2011.

It was alleged that Tirkey, the then sports ministers, had granted final approvals to shady deals related to purchase of equipment and other logistics for the games that caused a loss of Rs 28.34 crore to the exchequer.

Besides, sports articles were purchased in excess to their actual requirement and much above the market price, the ACB had claimed.