CBI raids former Jharkhand Minister Bandhu Tirkey's residence in National Sports scam case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting raids at the residences of former Jharkhand sports minister Bandhu Tirkey in connection with financial irregularities in the 34th National Games in 2011. 

Tirkey, who joined the Congress in 2020 was appointed as the party's working president in Jharkhand last year. He is currently in Delhi for party meetings.

CBI sleuths raided Tirkey's private residence in Banhora as well as government residence in Morabadi, sources said.

In March this year, the ex-MLA was convicted for holding assets disproportionate to his income and was sentenced to three years in prison. He was subsequently disqualified from the 81-seat state assembly.

Earlier this week, the Election Commission notified bypolls for the Mandar assembly seat that was thrice represented by Bandhu Tirkey.

Bandhu Tirkey arrested

In April, the Jharkhand high court ordered a CBI investigation into the National Games scam. Tirkey was arrested by the Jharkhand anti-corruption bureau (ACB) in September 2019 in connection with the case but was later released on bail from the high court.

Presently, there are two FIRs registered against Bandhu Tirkey, one related to the National Sports Scam and the second, related to irregularities in the construction of a mega Sports Complex.

Bandhu Tirkey had won the election in 2019 from the Mandar assembly constituency as a Jharkhand Vikas Morcha candidate. He however joined Congress following the party's merger with the BJP.