Chennai: CBI has slapped a disproportionate assets case against Puducherry public works department chief engineer M Dhinadayalan, a year after catching him red-handed, along with an executive engineer, for accepting a bribe of 2 lakh to approve a site clearance for a govt project.His wife, Vahida, was added as an accused, after investigation showed Dhinadayalan amassed 200% more wealth than known sources of his income. While he earned 1.25 crore in six years between 2019 and 2025, assets and expenses disproportionate to his income were ascertained to be 2.67 crore during the check period. The FIR said: “Dhinadhayalan, in the capacity of public servant, intentionally enriched himself illicitly during the period of his office, and his wife Vahida intentionally abetted him in his act of illicit enrichment. Dhinadhayalan was not able to satisfactorily explain or account for the said disproportionate assets.”
CBI arrested Dhinadayalan and executive engineer R Chidambaranathan on charges of demanding 6 lakh as a bribe, approximately 1% of a 7.44 crore tender. CBI laid a trap and caught Chidambaranathan and Dhinadayalan while accepting bribe. Following the arrests, CBI officials conducted searches at residences and offices of the accused in Puducherry and Karaikal. These raids led to the recovery of 73 lakh in cash—65 lakh from the residence of Dhinadhayalan and 8 lakh from Chidambaranathan’s house—along with incriminating documents.
