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In its continued drive against corruption, CBI today carried
out nation-wide raids at 34 places. 11 premises in Delhi,
8 in Alwar Distt. (Rajasthan), 5 in Port Blair (Andaman &
Nicobar islands), 3 in Jaipur, 3 in Mumbai, 2 in Calcutta,
1 in Pondichery and 1 in Ahmedabad were searched during the
raids.
26 of the searches (in Delhi, Alwar Distt, Jaipur, Ahmedabad
and Mumbai) are in connection with a case of disproportionate
assets registered against an IRS officer of 1980 batch (Joint
Secretary level official), presently posted as Commissioner
of Income Tax (Appeal-13), New Delhi. He is reported to have
acquired a large number of immovable properties, mostly benami,
in the name of his brother and his wife with the help of conduits
in Mumbai, Delhi and Jaipur, who came in contact with the
accused official because of his official position. Various
bank accounts, banking transactions and other records have
revealed the nexus of the accused in the assets acquired in
the names of his brother and his wife and have also brought
out the role of the private parties/conduits in the acquisition
of the same. His brother and his wife are also revealed to
be directors in a firm of Mumbai owned by a Stock-broker,
who has not only helped the accused official in the acquisition
of assets at Delhi but also in setting up of an agro farm
in Mumbai, in order to legitimize the ill-gotten wealth.
The major immovable properties revealed to have been acquired
by the accused official in his own name and in the names of
his brother and wife include a flat in Goyal Intercity, Ahmedabad
acquired on 15.11.99, a flat at Malviya Nagar, New Delh acquired
on 1.9.94, two flats in the Nikhil Apartments, Adarsh Nagar,
Jaipur acquired on 15.5.96 and a flat in Sarva Priya Vihar,
New Delhi, acquired on 29.11.96. Besides, the accused officer
acquired 34.40 bighas of land at village Dablu Meo, Rajgarh,
Distt. Alwar( acquired on 1.5.97 and 2.5.97), 9 shops built
on 2.80 bighas of land at main road, opposite water works,
Rajgarh (acquired on 17.12.99), 31 bighas of agricultural
land at village Dharmed, Rajgarh, distt. Alwar.The accused
Income Tax official also alleged to have acquired in 2001,
ten shops (Meena complex) near Railway Station, Rajgarh, Distt.
Alwar, 2.30 bighas of land near Pratap Stadium, behind Koli
Mohalla, Rajgarh, Distt. Alwar in June, 2002, farm house with
10 bighas of agricultural land in the outskirts of Rajgarh,
Distt. Alwar (acquired in May, 2003) and 1.7 Acres of Agricultural
land near Nayabas Haveli, Rajgarh, Distt. Alwar.
Apart from the above immovable properties, there are several
Bank a/cs, vehicles and lockers in the names of the accused
official and his family members. The accused official's brother
became a Pradhan of Panchayat Samiti, Rajgarh in February,
2000, prior to which, he had no source of income to explain
the acquisition of the huge assets. The book value of the
assets acquired upto January, 2000 alone is estimated at Rs.
85.83 lakh.
Eight of the searches, in Port Blair, Calcutta and Pondichery,
were conducted in connection with a case of corruption booked
against (i) Then Collector, Land Acquisition, Port Blair,
presently working as Director, Tribal Welfare, Andaman &
Nicobar Administration, Port Blair (ii) An IAS officer of
1997 batch, formerly posted as Collector, Land Acquisition,
Port Blair, presently working as Collector & Secretary
(Revenue), Pondichery (iii) A former Collector, Land Acquisition,
Port Blair (since retired) (iv) An Executive Engineer, APWD,
A&N Administration, Port Blair (since retired ) (v) CMD
of a private company, having head office at Kolkata (vi) AGM
of the same private company.
Allegation in the above case is that certain government lands
in Port Blair had been given on licences to the private party
for house sites but these were used for commercial/factory
purpose in violation of terms & conditions. on the basis
of the violation, the licenses could have been cancelled and
the lands could have been resumed by the A &N administration.
This was not done despite a pending request from the Port
Management Board of Andaman & Nicobar Island for allotment
of the said lands for integrating the same with the master
plan of the Port. When about Rs. 1.5. lakh could have been
paid as compensation and the land resumed, these public servants,
in connivance with the private party, acquired the lands by
giving a compensation of Rs. 8.70 crores (approx.), thereby
causing a loss of about Rs. 8.69 crores to the govt. exchequer.
Incriminating documents have been recovered during searches.
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