The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked Sandeep Awasthi, the Assistant Director-General of Shipping, and others for allegedly receiving bribe from businessmen for extending favour in a matter pending before the Gujarat High Court.
It has been alleged that Mr. Awasthi received “an undue advantage” of ₹50,000 on March 5 from Prakash B. Rajput to extend favour by not pressing the matter in the court, taking adjournments and by also delaying the filing of counter affidavits of the Director-General Shipping in a special civil application and other issues.
In March itself, the CBI had registered a preliminary inquiry into the allegation that Mr. Awasthi was likely to receive ₹6 lakh from Mr. Rajput and one Prashant A. Shukla, director of Prisha Oveseas Limited. Two persons were mediating the deal on behalf of Mr. Awasthi.
It was also alleged in the complaint that he had received pecuniary advantage from livestock exporters through Mr. Rajput and Mr. Shukla.
Mr. Aswasthi was handling and attending to the special civil application in the High Court which was filed by Prisha Overseas, challenging an order of the Director-General Shipping.
The alleged bribe amount was sent through Ahmedabad-based P.M. Enterprises and it was collected in Mumbai, alleges the FIR.
