Puducherry govt data entry operator booked for amassing assets worth Rs 1.7 crore

CHENNAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked a data entry operator in the Puducherry govt on charges of amassing wealth to the tune of Rs 1.7 crore disproportionate to his known sources of income.The accused govt employee has been identified as B Ravicoumar. The assets of Ravicoumar and his wife, Priyadharshini, grew from just Rs 70,822 in 2017 to Rs 2.76 crore in 2023, according to the CBI's first information report. Priyadharshini is a real estate firm owner.Ravicoumar started as a casual labourer on daily wages in the Puducherry govt and joined the govt services as a data entry operator in 2015. He was posted in the industry licence issuing office before he was made permanent in 2017 and posted in the Villanur Panchayat Commune.He handled the business activities on his wife's behalf and amassed wealth in the names of his wife and mother-in-law, Kumudham. The properties bought by the couple in six years include 1,584 sq ft of land in Reddiyarpalayam worth Rs 62 lakh, 4,600 sq ft of land in Murungapakkam worth Rs 30 lakh, land to the extent of 5,249 sq ft in Kurumbapet, 4,506 sq ft of land in Villanur worth Rs 29 lakh, 1,568 sq ft of land in Villanur worth Rs 8.2 lakh, 1,800 sq ft of land in Villanur worth Rs 20 lakh and land in Odiampet worth Rs 39 lakh.Some land parcels were purchased in mother-in-law’s name though her income is zero. Two cars have been registered in the name of Priyadharshini. The income of the couple from known sources was calculated as Rs 1.63 crore, and expenditure during the same period was estimated to be Rs 63 lakh. Disproportionate assets with respect to their income are 107%, said the CBI in the FIR. Since the records confirm the commission of the offence prima facie, the CBI has booked all the three under various charges and took up the case for further investigation.