The CBI had also arrested K M Khandelwal, a contractor with Noida development authority, and his brother B P Khandelwal, former chairman of CBSE, in the case.

Singh, who was UP’s 37th chief secretary, had held various sensitive positions in the UP Government and also in the Central Government. During its investigation, the CBI had also found that Singh had done large-scale forgery in documents, in collaboration with others, to procure these 85 properties. “He had even forged the signature of his father to open a bank account and had deposited illegally earned money in that account. He had eight properties in prime locations of Delhi and Lucknow, which he had transferred in the names of his daughters,” added an official.

Singh, a 1967-batch IAS officer who retired in 2003, had invested huge money in several private limited companies with his relatives, friends and family members, who were shown as promoters and directors of the companies. He is second chief secretary in a row to be caught in disproportionate assets case. Earlier, his predecessor D S Bagga was nailed and suspended in the multi-crore Taj Corridor scam.