News Analysis India

Tag: CBI raids

  • CBI books Amrapali Silicon City for Rs 177-crore bank fraud, searches 6 locations

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The CBI on Wednesday conducted searches at six locations in Delhi and Noida after registering an FIR against Amrapali Silicon City Private Limited and its promoter, Anil Kumar Sharma, for alleged bank fraud of Rs 177 crore, officials said.

    The CBI has booked the company on a complaint from Bank of Baroda which was part of a consortium including Bank of Maharashtra and Punjab National Bank.

    The consortium was allegedly cheated by the company, they said.

    The company had taken over 1.76 lakh square metre land from from New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (Noida) for developing a group housing complex, Amrapali Silicon City, in Sector 76 of the Delhi suburb.

    The audit showed that the company sold 468 flats at extremely lower rates with some even lower than the construction cost, they said.

    The forensic audit of the company’s account books and other financial records showed that Rs 73 crore of funds were possibly diverted by selling flats at prices lesser than the construction cost, they said.

    Among other issues, the audit also flagged the company has diverted funds to the tune of Rs 303.18 crore as received from various home buyers to their other group companies, they said.

    The bank has alleged that the company has committed fraud, forgery and misappropriated the loan amount cheating the banks to an extent of Rs 177 crore excluding interest, they said.

    NEW DELHI: The CBI on Wednesday conducted searches at six locations in Delhi and Noida after registering an FIR against Amrapali Silicon City Private Limited and its promoter, Anil Kumar Sharma, for alleged bank fraud of Rs 177 crore, officials said.

    The CBI has booked the company on a complaint from Bank of Baroda which was part of a consortium including Bank of Maharashtra and Punjab National Bank.

    The consortium was allegedly cheated by the company, they said.

    The company had taken over 1.76 lakh square metre land from from New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (Noida) for developing a group housing complex, Amrapali Silicon City, in Sector 76 of the Delhi suburb.

    The audit showed that the company sold 468 flats at extremely lower rates with some even lower than the construction cost, they said.

    The forensic audit of the company’s account books and other financial records showed that Rs 73 crore of funds were possibly diverted by selling flats at prices lesser than the construction cost, they said.

    Among other issues, the audit also flagged the company has diverted funds to the tune of Rs 303.18 crore as received from various home buyers to their other group companies, they said.

    The bank has alleged that the company has committed fraud, forgery and misappropriated the loan amount cheating the banks to an extent of Rs 177 crore excluding interest, they said.

  • Operation ‘Megha Chakra’: CBI cracks down against online child sexual abuse, raids 56 locations

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The CBI on Saturday carried out searches at 56 locations in 19 states and a Union Territory in connection with two cases of circulation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) online as part of Operation ‘Megha Chakra’, officials said.

    The searches were based on inputs from Interpol Singapore and intelligence obtained during last year’s Operation Carbon, conducted against peddlers of CSAM on the Internet using cloud storage, they said.

    The operation is targeted at cloud storage facilities used by the peddlers to circulate audio-visuals of illicit sexual activities with minors, thus earning the code ‘Megha Chakra’.

    The agency, being the first agency to set up a cyber crime unit, has hit CSAM peddlers across India, an official said.

    NEW DELHI: The CBI on Saturday carried out searches at 56 locations in 19 states and a Union Territory in connection with two cases of circulation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) online as part of Operation ‘Megha Chakra’, officials said.

    The searches were based on inputs from Interpol Singapore and intelligence obtained during last year’s Operation Carbon, conducted against peddlers of CSAM on the Internet using cloud storage, they said.

    The operation is targeted at cloud storage facilities used by the peddlers to circulate audio-visuals of illicit sexual activities with minors, thus earning the code ‘Megha Chakra’.

    The agency, being the first agency to set up a cyber crime unit, has hit CSAM peddlers across India, an official said.

  • I-T raids at premises linked to businessmen in Chhattisgarh; Congress takes dig at Centre

    By PTI

    RAIPUR: The Income Tax Department on Wednesday conducted raids at multiple locations linked to some businessmen in Chhattisgarh, police officials said.

    The searches are underway since early this morning in different districts including Raipur and Raigarh.

    Police officials in these districts confirmed that the IT teams assisted by the Central police force are present at the premises, including offices, of some steel and coal traders and civil contractors.

    The nature of the action being carried out by the I-T department is not yet clear, they said.

    Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel told reporters at the Raipur airport that he had already predicted raids by the Income Tax and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

    “I had said (that raids will happen)… now ED will also follow them,” Baghel said when asked about the action by the IT department.

    Last week, Baghel had said his “well-wishers” informed him that Chhattisgarh will soon see raids by the ED and IT because MLAs of the ruling UPA coalition from neighbouring Jharkhand were staying at a resort near Raipur.

    The legislators of the JMM-Congress-RJD coalition had stayed in the resort for six days before they were flown back to Ranchi on Sunday.

    Commenting on the raids, Chhattisgarh Congress communication wing’s chief Sushil Anand Shukla alleged the Modi government has been misusing the Central probe agencies.

    “There are reports that raids are being carried out by I-T at the premises of some businessmen. The way the Modi government is misusing Central investigation agencies, a slogan ‘kednra sarkar ke teen jamai (sons-in-law), ED, IT, and CBI’ has become common among people,” he said.

    Shukla alleged the Modi government has misused the Central agencies against its political opponents so much in the last eight years that even when I-T conducts raids as part of the routine investigation it is also seen as a politically motivated exercise.

    In June-July this year, the I-T department raided several places in Chhattisgarh including the premises of coal trader Suryakant Tiwari and the house of a government official posted at the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

    RAIPUR: The Income Tax Department on Wednesday conducted raids at multiple locations linked to some businessmen in Chhattisgarh, police officials said.

    The searches are underway since early this morning in different districts including Raipur and Raigarh.

    Police officials in these districts confirmed that the IT teams assisted by the Central police force are present at the premises, including offices, of some steel and coal traders and civil contractors.

    The nature of the action being carried out by the I-T department is not yet clear, they said.

    Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel told reporters at the Raipur airport that he had already predicted raids by the Income Tax and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

    “I had said (that raids will happen)… now ED will also follow them,” Baghel said when asked about the action by the IT department.

    Last week, Baghel had said his “well-wishers” informed him that Chhattisgarh will soon see raids by the ED and IT because MLAs of the ruling UPA coalition from neighbouring Jharkhand were staying at a resort near Raipur.

    The legislators of the JMM-Congress-RJD coalition had stayed in the resort for six days before they were flown back to Ranchi on Sunday.

    Commenting on the raids, Chhattisgarh Congress communication wing’s chief Sushil Anand Shukla alleged the Modi government has been misusing the Central probe agencies.

    “There are reports that raids are being carried out by I-T at the premises of some businessmen. The way the Modi government is misusing Central investigation agencies, a slogan ‘kednra sarkar ke teen jamai (sons-in-law), ED, IT, and CBI’ has become common among people,” he said.

    Shukla alleged the Modi government has misused the Central agencies against its political opponents so much in the last eight years that even when I-T conducts raids as part of the routine investigation it is also seen as a politically motivated exercise.

    In June-July this year, the I-T department raided several places in Chhattisgarh including the premises of coal trader Suryakant Tiwari and the house of a government official posted at the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

  • Chit fund case: Residences of TMC MLA Subodh Adhikari, his brother raided by CBI

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: The CBI on Sunday conducted search operations at six locations in West Bengal, including residences of Trinamool Congress MLA Subodh Adhikari and his brother, in connection with its probe into a chit fund case, an official of the agency said.

    Sleuths of the central agency raided the residence and office of the Bijpur legislator and his brother Kamal Adhikari’s flat simultaneously, the CBI official said.

    Kamal Adhikari is the chairman of the Kanchrapara Municipality.

    The raids were conducted two days after the Central Bureau of Investigation had arrested Trinamool Congress leader Raju Sahani, who is the municipal chairman of Halisahar near Kolkata, in connection with a chit fund case related to Sunmarg Welfare Organisation.

    The probe agency had recovered Rs 80 lakh in cash, a country-made firearm and documents of properties worth Rs 2.75 crore from the residence of Sahani.

    “During the day, the CBI officers carried out raids at four places of Halisahar and Kanchrapara in North 24 Parganas district, including the ancestral house of the Adhikari brothers and their current residences. The agency sleuths also raided the house of the MLA’s personal assistant in connection with a ponzi scam,” the official said.

    The MLA’s two residences in Lake Town and Paikpara areas in Kolkata were also raided by the central agency, he said.

    Halisahar, WB | CBI raids underway at TMC MLA Subhodh Adhikari & his brother Kamal Adhikari’s residence in North 24 Paraganas pic.twitter.com/JB8opO318P
    — ANI (@ANI) September 4, 2022
    Speaking to reporters, Kamal Adhikari admitted that Sahani is his friend and said he did not know about any financial transaction of the arrested TMC leader.

    “I don’t know about Sahani’s monetary dealings or the chit fund company. There is a political conspiracy against me and my party. The raids did not yield anything. I am ready to cooperate with the investigation,” he said.

    Responding to a pointed query about whether Sahani has helped him buy his flat, the Kanchrapara Municipality chairman claimed that he bought the apartment with his hard-earned money.

    Veteran Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy alleged that the BJP is using the central agency to target his party leaders and intimidate them after the saffron camp failed to defeat the TMC in the last assembly polls.

    “We have faith in the judiciary. Those who are involved in the ponzi scam will be punished and the truth that the BJP is targeting TMC leaders as part of its political vendetta will come out,” he said.

    BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said Roy is making such comments as the central agency has tightened the noose around “corrupt” TMC leaders.

    KOLKATA: The CBI on Sunday conducted search operations at six locations in West Bengal, including residences of Trinamool Congress MLA Subodh Adhikari and his brother, in connection with its probe into a chit fund case, an official of the agency said.

    Sleuths of the central agency raided the residence and office of the Bijpur legislator and his brother Kamal Adhikari’s flat simultaneously, the CBI official said.

    Kamal Adhikari is the chairman of the Kanchrapara Municipality.

    The raids were conducted two days after the Central Bureau of Investigation had arrested Trinamool Congress leader Raju Sahani, who is the municipal chairman of Halisahar near Kolkata, in connection with a chit fund case related to Sunmarg Welfare Organisation.

    The probe agency had recovered Rs 80 lakh in cash, a country-made firearm and documents of properties worth Rs 2.75 crore from the residence of Sahani.

    “During the day, the CBI officers carried out raids at four places of Halisahar and Kanchrapara in North 24 Parganas district, including the ancestral house of the Adhikari brothers and their current residences. The agency sleuths also raided the house of the MLA’s personal assistant in connection with a ponzi scam,” the official said.

    The MLA’s two residences in Lake Town and Paikpara areas in Kolkata were also raided by the central agency, he said.

    Halisahar, WB | CBI raids underway at TMC MLA Subhodh Adhikari & his brother Kamal Adhikari’s residence in North 24 Paraganas pic.twitter.com/JB8opO318P
    — ANI (@ANI) September 4, 2022
    Speaking to reporters, Kamal Adhikari admitted that Sahani is his friend and said he did not know about any financial transaction of the arrested TMC leader.

    “I don’t know about Sahani’s monetary dealings or the chit fund company. There is a political conspiracy against me and my party. The raids did not yield anything. I am ready to cooperate with the investigation,” he said.

    Responding to a pointed query about whether Sahani has helped him buy his flat, the Kanchrapara Municipality chairman claimed that he bought the apartment with his hard-earned money.

    Veteran Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy alleged that the BJP is using the central agency to target his party leaders and intimidate them after the saffron camp failed to defeat the TMC in the last assembly polls.

    “We have faith in the judiciary. Those who are involved in the ponzi scam will be punished and the truth that the BJP is targeting TMC leaders as part of its political vendetta will come out,” he said.

    BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said Roy is making such comments as the central agency has tightened the noose around “corrupt” TMC leaders.

  • Brinda Karat slams Centre over CBI raid at Sisodia’s residence, says opposition parties being targeted

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: CPI-M leader Brinda Karat on Friday condemned CBI raid at Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s residence saying that BJP-led Centre is targeting the Opposition political parties with the help of central agencies.

    “I strongly condemn the CBI raid. Manish Sisodia is the Deputy CM of Delhi that’s why he is being targeted. Had he been in RSS or BJP, and bowed before them, he would have got clean-chit in everything. Everything is just politics. This is happening throughout the country,” Karat told ANI.

    She alleged that the BJP-led Central government wants to expand its power across the country by targeting opposition parties with raids.

    “The raids have got nothing to do with corruption. They just want to expand their power by targeting the opposition,” she said.

    The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday conducted searches at the residence of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and several other locations in different states in connection with the alleged scam in the recently withdrawn excise policy of the Aam Aadmi Party government.

    CBI said searches are being conducted today at 31 locations including in Delhi, Gurugram, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Bengaluru which, so far, have led to the recovery of incriminating documents, articles and digital records. It said investigations are underway.

    The CBI has registered an FIR in connection with the case. Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had in July recommended a CBI probe over alleged violations of rules in the Excise Policy which was implemented in November last year.

    Sisodia was among 15 persons booked in the FIR filed by CBI. Excise officials, liquor company executives, dealers along with unknown public servants and private persons have also been booked in the case.

    As CBI officials arrived at his residence this morning, Sisodia said AAP government is honest and referred to its work in the field of education.

    “CBI has arrived. We are honest, building a future for lakhs of children. Unfortunate that in this country, whoever does good work is hassled just like this, that is why our country is still not number-1.”

    Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also tweeted his support for Sisodia saying that nothing will come out of this raid and that many such happened in past. “I welcome CBI. We will cooperate fully. There have been many such probes, and raids in past. Nothing came out. Nothing will come out this time too,” Kejriwal said.

    NEW DELHI: CPI-M leader Brinda Karat on Friday condemned CBI raid at Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s residence saying that BJP-led Centre is targeting the Opposition political parties with the help of central agencies.

    “I strongly condemn the CBI raid. Manish Sisodia is the Deputy CM of Delhi that’s why he is being targeted. Had he been in RSS or BJP, and bowed before them, he would have got clean-chit in everything. Everything is just politics. This is happening throughout the country,” Karat told ANI.

    She alleged that the BJP-led Central government wants to expand its power across the country by targeting opposition parties with raids.

    “The raids have got nothing to do with corruption. They just want to expand their power by targeting the opposition,” she said.

    The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday conducted searches at the residence of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and several other locations in different states in connection with the alleged scam in the recently withdrawn excise policy of the Aam Aadmi Party government.

    CBI said searches are being conducted today at 31 locations including in Delhi, Gurugram, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Bengaluru which, so far, have led to the recovery of incriminating documents, articles and digital records. It said investigations are underway.

    The CBI has registered an FIR in connection with the case. Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had in July recommended a CBI probe over alleged violations of rules in the Excise Policy which was implemented in November last year.

    Sisodia was among 15 persons booked in the FIR filed by CBI. Excise officials, liquor company executives, dealers along with unknown public servants and private persons have also been booked in the case.

    As CBI officials arrived at his residence this morning, Sisodia said AAP government is honest and referred to its work in the field of education.

    “CBI has arrived. We are honest, building a future for lakhs of children. Unfortunate that in this country, whoever does good work is hassled just like this, that is why our country is still not number-1.”

    Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also tweeted his support for Sisodia saying that nothing will come out of this raid and that many such happened in past. “I welcome CBI. We will cooperate fully. There have been many such probes, and raids in past. Nothing came out. Nothing will come out this time too,” Kejriwal said.

  • Eastern Coalfields pilferage case: CBI searches three locations in Delhi, West Bengal

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The CBI on Thursday conducted searches at three locations in Delhi and West Bengal in connection with alleged pilferage of coal from Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL) mines in Asansol, officials said.

    During the operation, the residence of a former ECL director in the national capital’s Dwarka area, the residence of the then general manager of the public sector unit in West Bengal’s Asansol and the residence of a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) inspector posted at the NTPC in Farakka in West Bengal were searched, they said.

    The multi-crore coal pilferage scam is related to the Eastern Coalfields Ltd’s mines in West Bengal’s Kunustoria and Kajora areas.

    The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered an FIR in November last year against the alleged kingpin of the pilferage racket, Anup Manjhi alias Lala, ECL general managers Amit Kumar Dhar and Jayesh Chandra Rai, ECL security chief Tanmay Das, Kunustoria area security inspector Dhananjay Rai and Kajor area security in-charge Debashish Mukherjee.

  • CBI conducts surprise checks at government offices across country in anti-corruption drive

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The CBI Friday conducted joint surprise checks with the vigilance department of 30 Central government departments in 25 states and union territories to identify areas prone to corruption as part of its special drive, officials said.

    The agency covered offices of Railways, Food Corporation of India (FCI), CSD (Canteen Stores Department) Godown, Ordnance Factory, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and North MCD among others.

    “The documents and records obtained in Joint Surprise Checks are being scrutinised for further necessary action,” CBI spokesperson RC Joshi said.

    “These joint surprise checks are being conducted to unearth any wrongdoing at places which are prone to corruptible practices while rendering services or implementing projects of the government of India, at the cutting edge level,” he said.