Eight months after arresting the joint director of the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) in Bengaluru in connection with a Rs 9.5-lakh bribery case, the Central Bureau of Investigation registered another case against him on Monday for allegedly possessing disproportionate assets, approximately 15 times his known income.

In the fresh FIR, the agency stated that Rajaram Mohanrao Chennu “intentionally enriched himself” between January 1, 2024, and January 8, 2026, with alleged disproportionate assets assessed at Rs 3,77,53,893, amounting to 1,145.70 per cent of his known income sources during that period.

The FIR states that Chennu joined the CPRI as a grade-II engineering officer on July 27, 2009, and served in various capacities before becoming its joint director on August 18, 2025. As per the agency’s assessment, Chennu’s assets at the beginning of the check period stood at Rs 24,66,332. These included household items and balances in State Bank of India accounts, including a public provident fund (PPF) account. By the end of the period, the assets were assessed at Rs 4,11,73,681.

The FIR records his income during the check period at Rs 32,95,274, including net salary income of Rs 29,72,418 and interest from bank and PPF accounts. His expenditure during the same period has been assessed at Rs 23,41,818.

The central agency calculated that assets acquired during the check period amounted to Rs 3,87,07,349. After adding expenditure and deducting known income, it arrived at the figure of Rs 3,77,53,893.

A white bag containing Rs 9,49,400 bribe

The FIR also refers to the bribery case, in which a white bag containing Rs 9,49,400 was recovered from Chennu after the central agency laid a trap. The amount was allegedly a bribe from Atul Khanna of Sudhir Power Limited.

In January, the agency seized cash worth over Rs 3.59 crore, various foreign currencies, and incriminating documents from Chennu’s residence at the CPRI quarters in Bengaluru. “It is alleged that Chennu was indulging in corrupt activities and receiving bribes for issuing favourable test reports in respect of the electrical equipment produced by a private company named Sudhir Group of Companies,” a CBI official said in a statement, adding that the agency also arrested the company’s director, Atul Khanna.

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As per the agency, US dollars, Hong Kong dollars, Singapore dollars, Indonesian rupiah, Malaysian ringgit, euros, Chinese yuan, Swedish kronor, and UAE dirhams were seized along with Indian rupees from his residence.