News Analysis India

Tag: Scam

  • Manish Sisodia arrives at CBI headquarters for questioning in excise policy case

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The CBI on Monday started questioning Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the alleged scam in Delhi excise policy being probed by it, officials said.

    Sisodia went to his party office in the morning from where he proceeded to Rajghat. A large number of his supporters gathered outside his residence ahead of his questioning. He arrived at the CBI headquarters around 11.15 am and was taken straight to the first floor of the Anti-Corruption Branch, the officials said.

    The CBI had registered an FIR in a special court here in August against Sisodia and 14 others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 477A (falsification of records), and section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which deals with taking undue advantage to influence a public servant by corrupt or illegal means, or by the exercise of personal influence.

    Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena had recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the formulation and execution of the Delhi excise policy, which was brought out in November last year, the officials said.

    ALSO READ: Delhi CM Kejriwal compares Sisodia, Jain with Bhagat Singh

    Following the registration of the FIR, the CBI had conducted searches at the premises of Sisodia and opened his locker at a bank in Ghaziabad, they said.

    The FIR has flagged payments in crores allegedly made to “close associates” of Sisodia by Sameer Mahendru, owner of Indospirits, one of the liquor traders actively involved in irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy.

    The FIR alleged that Sisodia’s “close associates” Amit Arora, director of Buddy Retail Pvt.

    ALSO READ: Probes ordered by L-G politically motivated, unconstitutional: Manish Sisodia

    Limited in Gurugram, Dinesh Arora and Arjun Pandey were “actively involved in managing and diverting the undue pecuniary advantage collected from liquor licensees” for the accused public servants.

    The CBI is also questioning Raghava Reddy, the son of YSRCP Lok Sabha MP Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, in the case, officials said.

    NEW DELHI: The CBI on Monday started questioning Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the alleged scam in Delhi excise policy being probed by it, officials said.

    Sisodia went to his party office in the morning from where he proceeded to Rajghat. A large number of his supporters gathered outside his residence ahead of his questioning. He arrived at the CBI headquarters around 11.15 am and was taken straight to the first floor of the Anti-Corruption Branch, the officials said.

    The CBI had registered an FIR in a special court here in August against Sisodia and 14 others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 477A (falsification of records), and section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which deals with taking undue advantage to influence a public servant by corrupt or illegal means, or by the exercise of personal influence.

    Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena had recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the formulation and execution of the Delhi excise policy, which was brought out in November last year, the officials said.

    ALSO READ: Delhi CM Kejriwal compares Sisodia, Jain with Bhagat Singh

    Following the registration of the FIR, the CBI had conducted searches at the premises of Sisodia and opened his locker at a bank in Ghaziabad, they said.

    The FIR has flagged payments in crores allegedly made to “close associates” of Sisodia by Sameer Mahendru, owner of Indospirits, one of the liquor traders actively involved in irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy.

    The FIR alleged that Sisodia’s “close associates” Amit Arora, director of Buddy Retail Pvt.

    ALSO READ: Probes ordered by L-G politically motivated, unconstitutional: Manish Sisodia

    Limited in Gurugram, Dinesh Arora and Arjun Pandey were “actively involved in managing and diverting the undue pecuniary advantage collected from liquor licensees” for the accused public servants.

    The CBI is also questioning Raghava Reddy, the son of YSRCP Lok Sabha MP Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, in the case, officials said.

  • Land-for-railway jobs scam: CBI files charge sheet against Lalu, Rabri

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The CBI filed a charge sheet Friday against former railway minister Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and 14 others in connection with alleged appointments made in Railways in return for land parcels gifted or sold to his family, officials said.

    In the charge sheet filed before a special CBI court here, the agency has also named Prasad’s daughter Misa Bharti, former general manager of Central Railways Sowmya Raghvan, former CPO Railways Kamal Deep Mainrai, seven aspirants appointed as substitutes and four private individuals.

    “During investigation, it has been found that the accused in conspiracy with the then GM, Central Railways, and CPO, Central Railways, engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of their close relatives,” a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.

    The agency has kept the investigation open with respect to other transactions, they said.

    “This land was acquired at prices lower than the prevailing circle rate and much lower than the market rate. It was also alleged that the candidates have used false TC and submitted false attested documents to the Ministry of Railways,” the spokesperson said.

    During the probe, the agency claimed to have found a hard disc from 10 Circular Road, Patna, the then camp office of Prasad when he was the Union railway minister.

    The CBI said it had a list of 1,458 candidates engaged in the Railways during his tenure.

    The agency has alleged that residents of Patna were appointed as ‘substitutes’ in group D posts in different zones of the Railways who were regularised during 2004-09.

    In exchange, the beneficiaries themselves or their family members allegedly transferred land parcels in the name of family members of Prasad and a company called AK Infosystems Private Limited, the agency has alleged.

    The company was subsequently taken over by Prasad’s family members, it said.

    The payments for the parcels of land were mostly shown to be made in cash, while there were also instances of transfer of land through gift deeds, it is alleged.

    The candidates were allegedly appointed as substitutes in group D positions within three days of applying in “undue haste” by Railway officials and were later regularised when the “individuals themselves or their family members transferred their land”, according to the agency.

    The transfers were made through deeds in the name of Rabri Devi and daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav, the agency alleged.

    Hema Yadav has not been named in the present charge sheet.

    The agency has alleged that land measuring about 1.05 lakh square feet in Patna was acquired by Prasad’s family members by making payments to the sellers in cash.

    A beneficiary had countered the CBI allegations in a court, claiming that he had transferred a land parcel to Prasad’s daughter through a gift deed in 2014 whereas he had already been appointed as a substitute nearly 10 years ago.

    He had said that the land was acquired by him years after he joined the Railways.

    “No land was transferred by the applicant to the family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav in lieu of his appointment in the Railways as a substitute as the applicant already stood appointed as a ‘substitute’ in the Railways before he himself acquired the piece of land alleged by the CBI to be a consideration for his appointment,” he had submitted.

    NEW DELHI: The CBI filed a charge sheet Friday against former railway minister Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and 14 others in connection with alleged appointments made in Railways in return for land parcels gifted or sold to his family, officials said.

    In the charge sheet filed before a special CBI court here, the agency has also named Prasad’s daughter Misa Bharti, former general manager of Central Railways Sowmya Raghvan, former CPO Railways Kamal Deep Mainrai, seven aspirants appointed as substitutes and four private individuals.

    “During investigation, it has been found that the accused in conspiracy with the then GM, Central Railways, and CPO, Central Railways, engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of their close relatives,” a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.

    The agency has kept the investigation open with respect to other transactions, they said.

    “This land was acquired at prices lower than the prevailing circle rate and much lower than the market rate. It was also alleged that the candidates have used false TC and submitted false attested documents to the Ministry of Railways,” the spokesperson said.

    During the probe, the agency claimed to have found a hard disc from 10 Circular Road, Patna, the then camp office of Prasad when he was the Union railway minister.

    The CBI said it had a list of 1,458 candidates engaged in the Railways during his tenure.

    The agency has alleged that residents of Patna were appointed as ‘substitutes’ in group D posts in different zones of the Railways who were regularised during 2004-09.

    In exchange, the beneficiaries themselves or their family members allegedly transferred land parcels in the name of family members of Prasad and a company called AK Infosystems Private Limited, the agency has alleged.

    The company was subsequently taken over by Prasad’s family members, it said.

    The payments for the parcels of land were mostly shown to be made in cash, while there were also instances of transfer of land through gift deeds, it is alleged.

    The candidates were allegedly appointed as substitutes in group D positions within three days of applying in “undue haste” by Railway officials and were later regularised when the “individuals themselves or their family members transferred their land”, according to the agency.

    The transfers were made through deeds in the name of Rabri Devi and daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav, the agency alleged.

    Hema Yadav has not been named in the present charge sheet.

    The agency has alleged that land measuring about 1.05 lakh square feet in Patna was acquired by Prasad’s family members by making payments to the sellers in cash.

    A beneficiary had countered the CBI allegations in a court, claiming that he had transferred a land parcel to Prasad’s daughter through a gift deed in 2014 whereas he had already been appointed as a substitute nearly 10 years ago.

    He had said that the land was acquired by him years after he joined the Railways.

    “No land was transferred by the applicant to the family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav in lieu of his appointment in the Railways as a substitute as the applicant already stood appointed as a ‘substitute’ in the Railways before he himself acquired the piece of land alleged by the CBI to be a consideration for his appointment,” he had submitted.

  • IRCTC scam: CBI moves court seeking cancellation of bail granted to Tejashwi Yadav

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI:  The CBI on Saturday moved a court here seeking the cancellation of bail granted to Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) scam.

    Special Judge Geetanjali Goel issued a notice to Yadav on the application moved by the probe agency and sought his reply by September 28.

    The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said Yadav, in a recent press conference, attempted to subvert the process of law and thwart the entire investigation as well as the consequent trial, and “blatantly abused the liberty granted to him”.

    “The tone and tenor is condemnable, intimidating and unfortunate, to say the least” . The said statements are not concerned to one case alone, but form a part of the larger design of the accused.

    “The said statements are not only scandalous but are also a clear attempt to prevent the trial from reaching its logical conclusion,” the agency said in its application.

    It added that through his statements at the conference, while Yadav issued a “direct threat to CBI officers and their families”, he also issued an “indirect threat to witnesses”

    “The accused has openly warned the CBI officers against carrying out the investigations, also resorting to innuendoes and threats in the process. Through such statements, the accused had indirectly and automatically threatened and attempted to influence the witnesses of the case,” it said.

    The agency also said the Bihar minister attempted to “portray the CBI in bad light and under the influence of political parties” by using innuendoes such as ‘jamai’ of a political party against it.

    The application further added that Yadav also undermined “the authority of the court” through his statements used in the conference.

    “Through such statements, the accused undermines the process of law, the investigation and the consequential trial and is as such an attempt to interfere with the administration of justice,” it added.

    The CBI said Yadav, being the son of former chief ministers of Bihar and himself the deputy CM, “is highly influential and powerful” and that his “scandalous statements” demonstrate his attempt to yield undue influence and power to prevent the case from reaching its logical conclusion.

    “The accused is no common man and exercises control and influence over a large number of people, all of whom are directly and indirectly affected and impacted by the implications of such scandalous statements,” it said.

    The court had in October 2018 granted bail to Yadav after he appeared before it in pursuance to summons issued against him in the matter related to alleged irregularities in granting the operational contract of two IRCTC hotels to a private firm.

    NEW DELHI:  The CBI on Saturday moved a court here seeking the cancellation of bail granted to Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) scam.

    Special Judge Geetanjali Goel issued a notice to Yadav on the application moved by the probe agency and sought his reply by September 28.

    The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said Yadav, in a recent press conference, attempted to subvert the process of law and thwart the entire investigation as well as the consequent trial, and “blatantly abused the liberty granted to him”.

    “The tone and tenor is condemnable, intimidating and unfortunate, to say the least” . The said statements are not concerned to one case alone, but form a part of the larger design of the accused.

    “The said statements are not only scandalous but are also a clear attempt to prevent the trial from reaching its logical conclusion,” the agency said in its application.

    It added that through his statements at the conference, while Yadav issued a “direct threat to CBI officers and their families”, he also issued an “indirect threat to witnesses”

    “The accused has openly warned the CBI officers against carrying out the investigations, also resorting to innuendoes and threats in the process. Through such statements, the accused had indirectly and automatically threatened and attempted to influence the witnesses of the case,” it said.

    The agency also said the Bihar minister attempted to “portray the CBI in bad light and under the influence of political parties” by using innuendoes such as ‘jamai’ of a political party against it.

    The application further added that Yadav also undermined “the authority of the court” through his statements used in the conference.

    “Through such statements, the accused undermines the process of law, the investigation and the consequential trial and is as such an attempt to interfere with the administration of justice,” it added.

    The CBI said Yadav, being the son of former chief ministers of Bihar and himself the deputy CM, “is highly influential and powerful” and that his “scandalous statements” demonstrate his attempt to yield undue influence and power to prevent the case from reaching its logical conclusion.

    “The accused is no common man and exercises control and influence over a large number of people, all of whom are directly and indirectly affected and impacted by the implications of such scandalous statements,” it said.

    The court had in October 2018 granted bail to Yadav after he appeared before it in pursuance to summons issued against him in the matter related to alleged irregularities in granting the operational contract of two IRCTC hotels to a private firm.

  • Delhi Congress holds protest, demands Sisodia’s resignation

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Congress leaders and workers staged a protest outside the Aam Admi Party office here on Saturday demanding the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the alleged corruption in the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy.

    The protesters marched from the Delhi Congress office at DDU Marg towards AAP headquarters raising slogans against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Sisodia.

    Delhi Congress demanded that Kejriwal should remove Sisodia from his Cabinet as he is named in an FIR registered by the CBI in the excise policy “scam”, said Delhi Congress media department vice chairman Parvez Alam.

    Sisodia’s residence was searched by the CBI for several hours by the CBI in connection with the alleged irregularities in the execution of Excise Policy 2021-22 on Friday. He has been named among 15 persons in an FIR registered by the probe agency.

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Congress leaders and workers staged a protest outside the Aam Admi Party office here on Saturday demanding the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the alleged corruption in the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy.

    The protesters marched from the Delhi Congress office at DDU Marg towards AAP headquarters raising slogans against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Sisodia.

    Delhi Congress demanded that Kejriwal should remove Sisodia from his Cabinet as he is named in an FIR registered by the CBI in the excise policy “scam”, said Delhi Congress media department vice chairman Parvez Alam.

    Sisodia’s residence was searched by the CBI for several hours by the CBI in connection with the alleged irregularities in the execution of Excise Policy 2021-22 on Friday. He has been named among 15 persons in an FIR registered by the probe agency.

  • Seven imposters including one woman posing as CID officers held in Bihar  

    Express News Service

    PATNA: Enacting the Akshay Kumar-starrer Special-26, seven imposters including a woman posing as CID officers extorted lakhs of rupees from traders before they were arrested from Bihar’s Madhubani district.

    Police said that the imposters— all in the age group of 18-25 years— laced with a walkie-talkie, duped ‘vulnerable’ businessmen of Andhramath police station area in Madhubani district close to the India-Nepal border. One of the cons identified as Jitendra Kumar Safi is even a graduate.

    Before making businessmen their targets, cons gathered information from local people about them. They extorted money primarily from those traders who were not fair with their customers. They scared the businessmen with their fake ‘CID’ ID cards.

    Officer-in-charge of Andharamath police station Dharmendra Kumar said that the outlaws used to scare the businessmen by accusing them of possessing narcotics like ganja and charas and banned cough syrup.However, their luck ran out when a woman raised an alarm after cons started extorting money from her husband, the owner of a big grocery shop by making false allegations against him.

    Exhibiting their audacity, imposters even took the woman and her husband to the police station to lodge a ‘complaint’ against them. But when the police verified their ID cards, all cards were found to be fake.

    A car bearing the registration number of Delhi, a motorbike, a walkie-talkie and a board with CID painted on it, two mobile phones and six fake ID cards have been recovered, deputy superintendent of police P K Sah revealed. All imposters are natives of the Madhubani district.

    While four imposters, Jitendra Kumar Safi (29), Arun Kumar Safi (19), Panaj Kumar Das (20) and Punita Kumari (25) are natives of Dhanushi Sarseema village under the Khatauna block area. Three other imposters identified as Rumanshu Kumar (19), Santosh Kumar (23) and Devendra Prasad Yadav (27) are natives of Ghormohna village.

    Madhubani Superintendent of Police (SP) Sushil Kumar said that after the arrest of the imposters, at least 10 traders informed police that they had also been duped of huge cash by the imposters. “They may have been operating in the area for more than a year,” he said.

    The police were trying to ascertain their antecedents from other police stations in the district and outside.During interrogation, the ringleader Jitendra tried to convince the members of the gang that they were not doing any unlawful activities. “Hum log Sahi kaam kar rahen hain (Our actions are right),” a member of the gang quoted Jitendra.

    The members of the gang used to plan their operation meticulous. “This was the secret of their success in their ‘operation’,” an investigating officer pointed out.

    PATNA: Enacting the Akshay Kumar-starrer Special-26, seven imposters including a woman posing as CID officers extorted lakhs of rupees from traders before they were arrested from Bihar’s Madhubani district.

    Police said that the imposters— all in the age group of 18-25 years— laced with a walkie-talkie, duped ‘vulnerable’ businessmen of Andhramath police station area in Madhubani district close to the India-Nepal border. One of the cons identified as Jitendra Kumar Safi is even a graduate.

    Before making businessmen their targets, cons gathered information from local people about them. They extorted money primarily from those traders who were not fair with their customers. They scared the businessmen with their fake ‘CID’ ID cards.

    Officer-in-charge of Andharamath police station Dharmendra Kumar said that the outlaws used to scare the businessmen by accusing them of possessing narcotics like ganja and charas and banned cough syrup.
    However, their luck ran out when a woman raised an alarm after cons started extorting money from her husband, the owner of a big grocery shop by making false allegations against him.

    Exhibiting their audacity, imposters even took the woman and her husband to the police station to lodge a ‘complaint’ against them. But when the police verified their ID cards, all cards were found to be fake.

    A car bearing the registration number of Delhi, a motorbike, a walkie-talkie and a board with CID painted on it, two mobile phones and six fake ID cards have been recovered, deputy superintendent of police P K Sah revealed. All imposters are natives of the Madhubani district.

    While four imposters, Jitendra Kumar Safi (29), Arun Kumar Safi (19), Panaj Kumar Das (20) and Punita Kumari (25) are natives of Dhanushi Sarseema village under the Khatauna block area. Three other imposters identified as Rumanshu Kumar (19), Santosh Kumar (23) and Devendra Prasad Yadav (27) are natives of Ghormohna village.

    Madhubani Superintendent of Police (SP) Sushil Kumar said that after the arrest of the imposters, at least 10 traders informed police that they had also been duped of huge cash by the imposters. “They may have been operating in the area for more than a year,” he said.

    The police were trying to ascertain their antecedents from other police stations in the district and outside.
    During interrogation, the ringleader Jitendra tried to convince the members of the gang that they were not doing any unlawful activities. “Hum log Sahi kaam kar rahen hain (Our actions are right),” a member of the gang quoted Jitendra.

    The members of the gang used to plan their operation meticulous. “This was the secret of their success in their ‘operation’,” an investigating officer pointed out.

  • Tribal youth beaten by panchayat staff, cop for complaining irregularities in PM Awas Yojana

    By Express News Service

    BHOPAL: A tribal youth who reportedly complained irregularities in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and toilets construction was thrashed mercilessly in full public view by the panchayat secretary, a police constable and aides in Katni district of Madhya Pradesh.

    The incident which happened in Dhimarkheda area of Katni district recently came to the fore when the video of the youth identified as Dharmendra Kol, being beaten publicly went viral over social media on Thursday.

    Acting in the matter, the Katni district police superintendent Sunil Jain ordered lodging an FIR against all the accused seen in the video and also directed for suspending the police constable.

    “The matter has come to my notice, after which an FIR has been lodged against the accused on the victim’s complaint under the provisions of the SC/ST Act and the police constable involved in the matter has been suspended. I’ve requested the district collector to act against other government employees seen in the video,” Katni district police superintendent Sunil Jain said on Thursday.

    In the video which has gone viral, those seen beating the tribal youth, include the local panchayat secretary Kunj Bihari and assistant secretary Amresh Rai.

  • CBI to produce former NSE CEO Chitra Ramakrishna in local Special court

    Express News Service

    The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will produce former chief executive of  National Stock Exchange Chitra Ramakrishna in the local Special court of CBI cases seeking custodial remand of her in connection with the multi crores market manipulation-cum-irregularities case of NSE, lodged against her and others with the agency.

    She was finally taken into custody by the CBI after questioning her for last a couple of days during which her replies were found unsatisfactory.

    CBI sources on Monday morning said that she would be taken on custodial remand with the permission of the concerned court. Earlier, the CBI Spl court had rejected the plea for anticipatory bail and expressed displeasure over the lackadaisical attitude of the agency working on the case.

    Prior to her arrest, Anand Subramanian-The former Group Operating Officer and the closest to Chitra Ramakrishna was arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the NSE colocation matter.

    ALSO READ| Revealed: The Chennai house that Chitra Ramkrishna sold to Anand Subramanian’s wife in 2021!

    CBI sources also said that the days of Anand Subramanian ended on Sunday, so the CBI will also produce him in the Special court seeking the second remand of Anand Subramanian on Monday apart from producing Chitra Ramakrishna.

    ALSO READ: Were ex-CEO of NSE Chitra Ramkrishna and Anand Subramanian planning to turn neighbours?

    Both are accused of complicity in committing grave irregularities in the market manipulation and trading as well as passing confidential information to outsiders including one who continued in communication with Chitra Ramakrishna with a pseudo-identity called”Himalayan Yogi”.

  • MP: Money withdrawn using fake death certificates of 23 beneficiaries of government scheme; probe ordered

    By PTI

    CHINNDWARA: The Madhya Pradesh government has ordered a probe after money was allegedly withdrawn under a state scheme for construction workers using fake death certificates of at least 23 villagers in Chhindwara district, Agriculture Minister Kamal Patel said.

    “The government has taken the matter seriously in which death certificates of 23 persons, who are still alive, were issued in Chhindwara’s Bohnakhedi village and money was withdrawn in their name under a scheme,” Patel said in a statement.

    Patel, who is the minister in-charge of Chhindwara, said the district administration has been directed to register FIRs against erring employees and others after conducting an inquiry.

    “It is a serious matter. I have told the district collector to investigate all such cases in the entire district and take action against the people involved in it,” he said.

    Citing news reports, officials said an amount of Rs two lakh each was withdrawn using fake death certificates of 23 people in Bohnakhedi village under the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Rules.

    All these people are allegedly alive.

    In the case of normal deaths, an ex gratia of Rs two lakh is paid to the dependents of the deceased construction worker under these rules.

    Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Atul Singh said a tehsildar (Revenue department official) is conducting an inquiry and action will be taken if any official of Panchayat or Janpad Panchayat is found to be involved.

    Janpad Panchayat CEO CL Maravi said, “This matter has come to my notice. It is being investigated. If anyone is found guilty after investigation, then strict action will be taken against them.”

    Vinod Pal, one of the beneficiaries of the scheme, said he is still alive but he came to know that Rs two lakh was withdrawn in his name through his “death” certificate.

    According to officials, a total of 106 death certificates were issued during the past two years in Bonakhedi village with a population of 2,800.