Rs 35-crore haul: What raid on retired UP transport officer’s home uncovered

3 min readLucknowUpdated: Jul 8, 2026 06:06 PM IST

Cash, gold, silver seized from retired Uttar Pradesh transport officer Lalit Kumar's home in Lucknow's Aliganj. (Express Photo)

Rs 1 crore in cash, 13 kg of gold, and documents linked to properties worth over Rs 13 crore: Assets valued at Rs 35 crore were seized from a retired Uttar Pradesh transport officer facing a disproportionate assets case, said officials.

The Uttar Pradesh Vigilance Establishment led the raid at the officer’s Lucknow home over two days.

Officials said the Vigilance Establishment had registered an FIR against Lalit Kumar in 2024, when he was posted as Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) in Agra, under Sections 13(1)(b) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act at its Anti-Corruption police station in Kanpur. The case came after a preliminary inquiry found that Kumar allegedly amassed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

According to the DGP Headquarters, the Uttar Pradesh government directed the Vigilance Establishment, Lucknow Sector, to investigate the case against Kumar on the basis of the preliminary inquiry findings and the case.

Officials said the Investigating Officer (IO) sought a search warrant from the court to conduct a search of the residence of the accused in Chandralok Colony, Aliganj, Lucknow. The team carried out searches on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Officials allegedly recovered Rs 1.62 crore in cash concealed in different places in the house. (Express photo)

According to the agency, a huge quantity of cash, gold and silver biscuits, and valuable gold, silver and diamond jewellery were recovered from Kumar’s house. Officials also allegedly recovered Rs 1.62 crore in cash wrapped in packets and concealed in different places in the house.

According to a government-approved valuer, the recovered assets included 13 kg of gold and 9 kg of silver (bars, biscuits and jewellery). The estimated value of the recovered valuables and the house is Rs 20 crore.

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During the search, officials said documents relating to heavy investments allegedly made by the accused in movable and immovable properties were also recovered.

These include residential houses and residential plots in Lucknow; agricultural land; and flats booked in Lucknow and Noida, including projects by Ansal AP and Amrapali Spring Meadows, officials said, adding that these immovable assets are valued at Rs 13 crore.

Officials also found two cars (Toyota Innova and Hyundai i20), a revolver, and documents relating to investments of more than Rs 1 crore in various banks, post offices, mutual funds and fixed deposits.

In addition, an inventory of the expenditure incurred on the furnishing and household articles of the house of the accused was prepared, revealing substantial spending, an official informed.

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All disproportionate assets recovered during the search are being verified and incorporated into the investigation, added the official.

DGP Rajeev Krishna, who has additional charge of Director, Vigilance Establishment, has announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for the Lucknow Sector team.

Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express. With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state. His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements. From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region's evolution.

Authoritativeness He leads a team of seasoned reporters and investigators, ensuring that The Indian Express’ signature "Journalism of Courage" is reflected in every regional story. His leadership is central to the Lucknow bureau’s reputation for breaking stories that hold the powerful to account, making him a trusted figure for policy analysts, political scholars, and the general public seeking to understand the nuances of UP’s complex landscape.

Trustworthiness & Accountability Under his stewardship, the Lucknow edition adheres to the strictest standards of factual verification and non-partisan reporting. He serves as a bridge between the local populace and the national discourse, ensuring that regional issues are elevated with accuracy and context. By prioritizing primary-source reporting and on-the-ground verification, he upholds the trust that readers have placed in the Express brand for nearly a century. ... Read More

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