NEW DELHI, Mar 13: CBI today carried out searches in Mumbai on a law firm and a Chartered Accountant in connection with its probe into alleged sale of confidential Government documents on Government policy to corporate groups.
The sources said so far the probe has indicated that “first and second” level of decision making in the Ministries of Finance and Commerce relating to foreign investments was allegedly “compromised”.
They said the names of some more officials of these two ministries and about five more corporate groups have cropped up during investigation which will be probed by CBI in the near future.
The sources said a senior official has been sent to Mumbai for overseeing the probe in the matter.
They said about five more corporate groups are under the scanner for being the suspected beneficiaries of documents related to foreign investment policies which takes the tally to about a dozen such business houses.
CBI has registered a case of criminal conspiracy, theft under IPC and misuse of official position under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act against chartered accountant Khemchand Gandhi, Under Secretary in Department of Disinvestment and Grievances Ashok Kumar Singh and Section Officer in the Department of Economic Affairs Lala Ram Sharma.
It is alleged that the government servants were passing on documents related to foreign investment policies, which were being floated in the ministries, to Gandhi who in turn passed them on to big corporates for a price.
The agency today carried out searches at the office of Chitale Law Associates based in Worli and Mitesh J Majithia, another Chartered Account, who were alleged to be in touch with Gandhi for documents.
The sources said a trove of confidential documents and Rs 60 lakh cash was allegedly recovered from the residence of Gandhi yesterday besides large number of electronic documents have been found on the laptop, tablets and hard disks recovered from the residence of officials and CA.
The sources said during the searches today agency has recovered several more confidential documents and file notings related to foreign investment policies which are being scrutinised.
Singh, who was handling key matters related to foreign investment policy, was allegedly using two email accounts for sending information to Gandhi, the agency claimed.
The sources said the agency has also taken the passwords of two email accounts which were allegedly used by arrested Under Secretary for passing on information to Gandhi who is being brought to Delhi for further questioning.
Sources have said the racket was allegedly active for last two years and may have influenced Government policy regarding foreign investments in India.
They had said CBI was tracking the officials and the CA for some time and yesterday intercepted a courier in Mumbai in which an entire confidential file was recovered. The courier was allegedly sent by Singh to Gandhi, they had said.
They had said by getting to know that a particular foreign investment policy was being floated in the Government gave the beneficiary corporate groups a time window to prepare themselves for the policy when it finally gets enforced.
This may give them “First Mover” advantage which may translate into immense profits, they had said. (PTI)
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