Raipur, Apr 10 (PTI) The Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday seized cash worth Rs 26.63 lakh from the premises of a forest department employee in the state’s Sukma district following raids at 12 premises in connection with alleged tendu leaf remuneration embezzlement case.

Raids were conducted in association with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) at the premises, including those belonging to former CPI MLA and tribal leader Manish Kunjam, employee in the office of Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sukma Rajshekhar Puranik and managers of Primary Minor Forest Produce Committees, in Sukma, an ACB official said.

During the search, Rs 26,63,700 cash was seized from the residence of Puranik, he said.

Important documents related to the case, mobile phones, electronic devices, several bank accounts and investment-related documents were recovered during raids.

Analysis of the documents and further legal action was underway, he said.

Ashok Kumar Patel, who was then the DFO of Sukma forest division, allegedly misused his position and in connivance with the officers of the forest department and managers and office-bearers of various Primary Minor Forest Produce Committees in Sukma, embezzled a major portion of around Rs 7 crore meant for distribution to tendu leaf collectors as remuneration for the year 2021 and 2022, he said.

A portion of the embezzled money was also allegedly given to some private persons, he said.

A case was registered with the EOW in this connection on April 8, following which raids were conducted on Thursday, he said.

Recently, a case of disproportionate assets was also registered against the main accused in the case, Patel, who has been suspended, and raids were conducted at his premises, the official said. PTI COR TKP NP