Bhubaneswar: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday arrested three persons from the capital city on charges of financial irregularities and tender fixing charges. On Saturday, the central probe agency had seized a huge amount of cash from a luxury car in Bhubaneswar.
According to reports, the arrested have been identified as Chanchal Mukherjee, Group General Manager of Kolkata-based Bridge and Roof Company (India) Limited, a Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE) associated with various government projects, Santosh Moharana, Director of M/s Penta A Studio Private Limited, Bhubaneswar, and Mana Mohan Maharana, a private person. A middleman Debadutta Mohapatra was also arrested by the central probe agency.
All the accused have been produced in court and taken on three-day remand.
The raids are currently underway at eight places in Odisha, including zonal offices of the CPSE in Bhubaneswar and Chhatrapur and also at Mohaptra’s residence at Phulnakhara.
It has been learnt that the CBI has seized a white car used by a government officer, who changed three cars to reach a star hotel in the city where the CBI along with the local police conducted a surprise raid while a multi-crore deal was allegedly being struck late on Saturday evening.
Subsequent search of the car led to recovery of Rs 1 crore and a large amount of gold ornaments in a bag. The occupants of the vehicle, including Mohapatra, were later taken to the CBI office for questioning.
The CBI laid a trap on Saturday and caught the accused GGM who allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 10 lakh which was delivered to him by accused Director of the said company at Bhubaneswar. The bribe money of Rs 10 lakh was also recovered. Another private person was caught for his role as co-conspirator in abetting and facilitating the exchange of undue advantage.
Searches are being conducted at 8 locations in Bhubaneswar and Kolkata which has so far led to recovery of incriminating documents, a vehicle used in the commission of offence along with digital devices.
A case has been registered with the Delhi CBI in connection with the alleged tender fixing of Bridge and Roof Company Limited, involving crores of rupees. As a result, raids are underway in Delhi, Kolkata and Odisha.
