CBI arrests top Power Grid, Tata Projects officials in bribery case

New Delhi, July 7

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today arrested the executive director of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) and five officials of Tata Projects in connection with a bribery case.

They include PGCIL executive director Bimlendu Shekhar Jha and five Tata Project functionaries — executive vice-president Desh Raj Pathak, assistant vice-president RN Singh, regional project manager Nafeez Hussain Khan, and junior employees Sandeep Kumar Dubey and Randheer Kumar Singh.

The CBI has alleged that Jha was acting in pursuance of a criminal conspiracy, extending favours to Tata Projects for various work, including preparation of inflated bills, early clearing of bills and price variation clause, in return of illegal gratification from the company.

In an official statement, the CBI said, “Searches were conducted at 11 premises of the accused located in Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad, which led to recovery of incriminating documents, materials, digital devices etc. Over Rs 93 lakh was also recovered from the residence of the PGCIL Executive Director.”

“The arrested persons were today produced before the court of special judge, CBI cases, Panchkula (Haryana), and were remanded in police custody up to July 15, 2022,” it said.

Jha, who was posted in Itanagar, was under the CBI scanner during which the agency received an input that he was allegedly receiving bribe from the executives of Tata Projects and other companies for granting favours, officials said. Tata Projects was given contracts under the World Bank-funded North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project, a comprehensive scheme for improving power infrastructure of the region, the CBI said.

Later, in a formal statement, the CBI said the company had bagged tenders pertaining to “a comprehensive scheme for Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim”.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of Tata Projects is reported to have said, “We adhere to strong norms in all our business transactions and have zero tolerance for any compromise on the same. We would extend our complete support to the relevant authorities.”

The role of Pathak and RN Singh came to light when the CBI was keeping an eye on Jha’s activities, the officials said.

Corruption in North-Eastern system

• Tata Projects was given contracts under the World Bank-funded North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project, a comprehensive scheme for improving power infrastructure of the region
• The Power Grid executive director allegedly received bribe from executives of Tata Projects for granting favours, including preparation of inflated bills, early clearing of bills and price variation clause, in return of illegal gratification