M A I N   N E W S

CBI conducts nationwide raids
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 6
In its second nationwide special raid against corrupt officials across the country, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today conducted raids at as many as 144 places and registered 45 cases against at least 85 persons, including 53 public servants.

The CBI Director, Mr U.S. Misra, said the sleuths so far recovered movable and immovable properties, cash, jewellery and other valuables worth Rs 11.16 crore from these raids.

In these raids, at least 30 cases have been registered against 30 public servants for amassing assets disproportionate to their knows sources of income. Mr Misra said the cases were registered under Section 13 (1) (e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, Indian Penal Code, and the Indian Telegraph and Wireless Act.

The sleuths conducted raids at residences and offices of the officers belonging to Customs and Central Excise, BSNL, Controller of Explosives, TRIFED, Coal Indian Ltd, Post and Telegraph, Air-India, Airport Authority of India, FCI, MCD, United India Insurance Company, Union Bank of India, SBI, Bank of Baroda and Delhi Police.

According to the agency, the sleuths today conducted raids at 16 places in Kolkata, 13 places in Mumbai, 12 places in Delhi, two places in Chennai, six places in Varanasi, five places in Hyderabad, five places in Bangalore, five places in Kandla, five places in Shimla, three places in Port Blair, three places in Patna, three places in Dhanbad and other places.

Among the notable officials, Deputy Manager of FCI, Ferozepore, Punjab B P Subramanian has been booked for acquiring assets to the tune of Rs 23,67,145 during a period of four years between 2000-2004 by corrupt and illegal means. According to Mr Misra, Subramanian was even arrested earlier while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 20,000 from a complainant. During searches the sleuths recovered Rs 18.33 lakh from a locker in his house and flat at Noida worth Rs 13 lakh.

The other officials who were booked today have been identified as Praveen R Barwe, DGM (Sports), Air-India, Mumbai, B C Manjhi, Project Officer of BCCL, Dhanbad, Sanjay Sharma, Executive Engineer, BSNL, Ranchi, Bansi Lal Gupta, Divisional Engineer, BSNL, Dhumka, C Venkateshwar Rao, Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, Hyderabad, Vivek Batra, Joint Commissioner of Income Tax, Mumbai and Ashok Kumar Dinkar, General Manger of MTNL, Mumbai.

Also R B Bansal, Executive Engineer of MCD, A A Farooqui, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Delhi Police, M K Thapar, former CMD, CCL, Ranchi, S K Basu, Director, CCL, Ranchi and Samunder Chaudhary for supplying fake CBI identity cards and seals, have been booked along with others.