The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked a former CMD of the Hindustan Steelworks Construction Limited (HSCL) and six others for alleged bribery in connection with a contract for the construction of the National Sports University in Manipur.
“Searches were conducted on the premises of the accused persons in Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam,” said a CBI official on Tuesday.
The accused have been identified as Moyukh Bhaduri, the then CMD of HSCL; Anant Saxena, managing director of Zillion Infra Projects Private Limited; N. Krishna Rao, director (projects) of Vijay Nirman Co. Private Limited and its managing director, V. Ajay Kumar; and T. Nimal Singh, authorised signatory of NT Enterprises.
C.H. Srinivas, a then contractual employee of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and one Dhiraj Kanchal, have also been named.
Based on a source information, the CBI had last year instituted a preliminary inquiry into the allegation. As it turned out, in March 2015, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports had floated a notice inviting tender to appoint a Project Management Consultant (PMC) for construction of the university complex.
Following the bidding process, HSCL was selected as PMC and a memorandum of agreement was signed in July 2015. Subsequently, it allocated the work of conducting topographical survey of the land to a company and appointed another firm as the architectural design consultant.
HSCL also called for expression of interest for site development. Four bidders, including Zillion Infra Projects Private Limited, participated in the tendering process. However, due to a litigation issue, the expression of interest process could not be concluded and the order was not placed against the tender.
It is alleged that during the tendering process, Mr. Bhaduri allegedly conspired with others for illegal gratification.
According to the FIR, C.H. Srinivas introduced Mr. Rao as a contractor to Mr. Bhaduri and Mr. Saxena. They allegedly asked for ₹1 crore and further demanded or attempted to get illegal gratification of 5.5% of the total project cost for awarding the construction work to Vijay Nirman Co. Private Limited.
At the instance of Mr. Rao, T. Nimai Singh allegedly transferred ₹55 lakh in three tranches from the bank account of NT Enterprises to that of Zillion Infra Projects. C.H. Srinivas, who allegedly demanded ₹10 lakh as his commission, received ₹6 lakh from Mr. Saxena, through the account of Zillion Infra Projects, alleged the FIR.
