பதவி நீக்கம் செய்ய கோரிய மனு; சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட் சி.பி.ஐ. இயக்குனர் ரஞ்சித் சின்காவுக்கு நோட்டீசு

புதுடெல்லி புதன்கிழமை , செப்டம்பர் 10, 2014

சி.பி.ஐ. இயக்குனர் ரஞ்சித் சின்கா, 2 ஜி ஸ்பெக்டரம் ஊழல் மற்றும் நிலக்கரி சுரங்க ஒதுக்கீடு முறைகேடு ஆகிய வழக்குகளில் தொடர்புடைய சிலரை தனது அதிகாரப்பூர்வ அரசு இல்லத்தில் சந்தித்து பேசியதாக குற்றச்சாட்டு எழுந்தது.

ஊழல் வழக்குகளில் சம்பந்தப்பட்டவர்களை பொதுவாக சி.பி.ஐ. இயக்குனர் தனது அலுவலகத்தில் அதே வழக்கை விசாரித்து வரும் மற்ற அதிகாரிகளின் முன்னிலையில் சந்தித்து பேசவேண்டும் என்பது சட்ட விதியாகும்.

இந்த விதிமுறையை மீறி ஊழல் குற்றச்சாட்டில் தொடர்புடையவர்களை அவர் சந்தித்து பேசியதாக மூத்த வக்கீலும், நிலக்கரி சுரங்க ஒதுக்கீடு முறைகேடு பொது நல வழக்கில் ஆஜராகி வருபவருமான பிரசாந்த்பூஷண் குற்றம் சாட்டினார். ரஞ்சித் சின்காவின் வீட்டின் உள்ள பதிவேடுகளின் மூலம் இந்த உண்மை தெரிய வந்ததாகவும் அவர் குறிப்பிட்டார்.

இதேபோல் ஹவாலா மோசடி வழக்கில் தொடர்புடைய இறைச்சி ஏற்றுமதியாளர் மொயின் குரேஷியையும் அவர் தனது வீட்டில் சந்தித்து பேசியதாக புகார் கூறப்பட்டது.

இது தொடர்பாக சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட்டில் பிரசாந்த்பூஷண் பிரமாண பத்திரம் ஒன்றையும் தாக்கல் செய்தார். மேலும், ரஞ்சித் சின்காவை பதவி நீக்கம் செய்யவேண்டும் என்று அவர் பிரதமர் நரேந்திர மோடிக்கு கடிதமும் எழுதினார்.

பிரசாந்த் பூஷன் தொடர்ந்த வழக்கில் சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட் சி.பி.ஐ இயக்குனர் ரஞ்சித் சின்காவுக்கு நோட்டீசு அனுப்ப உத்தரவிட்டது.  10 நாட்களில் பதில் மனு தாக்கல் செய்ய சின்காவுக்கு சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட் உத்தரவிட்டு உள்ளது. மேலும் வழக்கை 19-ந்தேதிக்கு ஒத்திவைத்தது. 

SC issues fresh notice to CBI director in coal scam

PTI    New Delhi   September 9, 2014 

A day after the Supreme Court issued notice to CBI director Ranjit Sinha for allegedly protecting some accused in 2G case, another bench of the apex court on Tuesday sought explanation from the top cop on similar allegations in the coal scam.

A bench headed by Chief Justice RM Lodha issued a notice to the CBI director on a plea seeking an SIT probe against him for allegedly protecting the accused in Coalgate and to keep him away from the investigation and prosecution in the multi-crore scam.

Granting 10 days time to the CBI chief to file his response to the allegations, the bench refused to pass any order for recusal of Sinha in the case.

The court posted the case for further hearing on September 19.

At the begining of the proceeding, the bench observed that an order had already been passed by another bench of the apex court against Sinha and no further order was required.

But advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for an NGO, which filed the application against Sinha, contended that Monday's order was on the 2G case and the court could pass another one pertaining to the coal scam.

Thereafter, the bench agreed to issue a notice to Sinha and posted the case for to the day following the hearing on the 2G scam, which is to take place on September 15.

In the application filed in the court, NGO Common Cause had referred to reports about the entry register at Sinha's residence containing names of "influential" persons allegedly involved in the coal scam.

It accused him of scuttling the probe in the "high magnitude" coal scam case in which 20 FIRs for offences of corruption, cheating and criminal conspiracy have been lodged and two charge sheets filed in the trial court.

On Monday, another bench of the apex court - headed by Justice HL Dattu - which is monitoring the 2G scam case, had directed Sinha to come out in "black and white" on averments made against him for allegedly entertaining scam-tainted visitors at his official residence here, saying that it is a "serious" issue.

The application filed by the NGO had referred to the alleged instances that "enumerate the instances of undue interference on the part the CBI director" in the coal scam probe.

The NGO had said that a trusted whistle-blower has brought to the notice of Bhushan some significant information contained in the entry registers of the years 2013 and 2014, which were maintained at the official residence of the CBI director at 2, Janpath, New Delhi.

"Hence, in the light of these facts and circumstances, it is respectfully prayed that in public interest and in the interest of fair investigations in the case, this court may be pleased to direct that Sinha shall not interfere in coal block allocation case investigations and the prosecutions being carried out by the CBI, and shall withdraw from these cases," the application had said.

Ranjit Sinha

Aman Sharma, ET Bureau | 4 Sep, 2014, 08.00AM 

NEW DELHI: CBI Director Ranjit Sinhahas admitted meeting two senior Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) officials at his residence but claimed he had done them no favours. The CBI director, who is in the eye of a storm after activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan alleged that Sinha had met persons linked to those accused in the 2G and coal scams, in an interview with ET claimed a "deep-rooted" conspiracy was being hatched against him and expressed apprehension that he was under surveillance. Excerpts

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan plans to submit a diary to the SC which has details of visitors to your residence... Is the diary genuine?

I do not know. There are two official diaries with me. I don't know from where this third diary has emerged. In one diary, my movement is recorded as I am Z-level protectee.

In the other diary, Delhi Police officers record checks on the guards stationed there. Visitor names are never recorded in any diary. The guards at the gate only call on the intercom and check with me when a visitor is there. If such a visitor's register is maintained, there should be some signature on it - of Delhi police, CBI or the visitor. Is it there?

No! Somebody has been recording details of the visitors mischievously by sitting somewhere. So somebody has to prove the genuineness of the said diary. Who has seized this or who has sold it? I have spoken to my staff at the residence, they say they know nothing. I called for the visitor's register yesterday, there was nothing in it. I was shocked. If there was a record, someone would come to me and show it, get my signatures. Somebody is keeping watch on me...some person is sitting outside and writing as some names in the said diary are actually of the people who have met me.

The main allegation is that two senior officials of Reliance Group met you...

Yes, I have met them! Certainly! I know them for the last 30 years, so what? I have met them, I do not deny that. Meeting anyone is not banned. A team of industrialists is accompanying the prime minister to Japan. The question is whether I have shown any favours. The controversy is about that. Where is the favour?

The allegation is that you also wrote to 2G Special Prosecutor UU Lalit to allegedly weaken the case against Reliance Group...

Yes, I had written to Mr Lalit. So what? Did it favour them? Nothing happened on it. Whatever I have written was already on record earlier. I did not invent anything.

But why should the CBI director meet people close to the accused or accused themselves?

Meeting people who have a grievance against officers of CBI is part of my duty. Why should I not meet them? Are they terrorists? They come and complain about the investigation being done. Where else will they go? Even during the investigation we meet many people. It is my duty to hear people and redress their grievances. They come and tell me that there has been injustice against them, please do something. I look into the matter, speak to the investigating officer and joint director to know the progress of the case. Do you want me to isolate myself from everybody and live in my ivory tower? Many other people who meet me are my sources of information. I have an office at my residence. Should I live in isolation? You should appreciate that I am available and accessible.

Why are you being snooped upon, as you alleged, or being targeted? Who is behind this?

I do not know...if this is corporate warfare and someone has personal enmity against me, I do not know. This is intrusion into my personal life. It is shocking. This is character assassination. What are the people behind this planning to do? It is a deep-rooted conspiracy against me.

Government plans to incorporate provision to remove CBI chief on grounds of proven misbehavior

Aman Sharma, ET Bureau | 5 Sep, 2014, 06.24AM IST 


Ranjit Sinha, is in the eye of a storm over allegations leveled 

against him of meeting those accused or close to the accused

 in the 2G and coal scam. 

NEW DELHI: The BJP government at the Centre plans to amend the law to incorporate a specific provision for the removal of the CBI Director on grounds of proven misbehaviour to correct an anomaly in the present law in which there is no provision to remove the director of the premier investigating agency before the end of a two-year-fixed term.

The present CBI chief, Ranjit Sinha, is in the eye of a storm over allegations leveled against him of meeting those accused or close to the accused in the 2G and coal scam at his residence.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told a television channel on Thursday that a CBI Director must maintain ?certain standards? in view of the nature of cases the agency handles. The government?s options regarding Sinha, who will finish his tenure on December 2, are however limited.

The Delhi Police Special Establishment (DPSE) Act, which governs CBI, has no provision for removal of the CBI Director. It simply says the Centre will appoint a CBI Director for a two-year-fixed term on recommendation of a committee headed by the Central Vigilance Commissioner.

A senior government official said the present government plans to take forward a suggestion made by the UPA government to give powers to the Centre to remove a CBI Director. The provision which could be inserted in the DPSE Act will stipulate that a CBI Director can be removed from office by order of the President on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity, based on the report filed by the Central Vigilance Commissioner.

?The suggestion was put before the Supreme Court last year after a Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram went into the issue of CBI autonomy. The present government may bring the same before the Cabinet soon or wait for SC?s go-ahead to it,? the top government official said.

In a report released by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in January, it was mentioned that the government was mulling introducing provisions for removal of CBI Director. The present law says a CBI Director can at most be transferred before the end of his term, but only after the consent of the committee headed by the CVC that selected him. However, in Sinha?s case, a transfer is also not possible as he is technically a retired officer given he is above 60 years of age. A senior government functionary has told ET that the government is keeping a close watch on the proceedings in the apex court in the matter and an adverse ruling or observation against the CBI Director may render his position untenable. ?A CBI Director can always resign,? he said.

Sinha has denied all allegations against him, saying it is part of a deep-rooted conspiracy.?

Allegations of impropriety against CBI Director Ranjit Sinha; domestic staff of 22

ET Bureau | 5 Sep, 2014, 06.36AM IST 

NEW DELHI: The head of India's top investigating agency, fighting allegations of impropriety in the Supreme Court, had to put up with the airing of details about his domestic arrangements and was unable to persuade judges to impose a gag order on the media reporting details of entries in his visitors' book. The purported details spilled on Thursday included the number of domestic staff who work for Ranjit Sinha, the embattled director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, which was put at 22.

They include seven cooks, three drivers and one cobbler, according to the affidavit filed by Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) lawyer Prashant Bhushan. This comes as pressure is intensifying on Sinha to recuse himself from the 2G and coal cases after the entry register showed persons linked to the accused visiting his residence, some of them allegedly late at night.

The CBI director later threatened to sue the NGO over the allegations against him. ACBI spokesperson said: "Bhushan's allegations in an affidavit on oath are false and malicious." Sinha told reporters while leaving his office earlier in the day that he would "recuse myself from the coal case if the Supreme Court orders me to". The Supreme Court will resume hearings on the matter on September 9.

The entry register, which runs into hundreds of pages, was maintained by Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel, according to the affidavit. Sinha was ITBP director-general before being appointed CBI chief.

The CBI spokesperson refused to respond to questions on the matter, saying that they should be directed to the ITBP.

The bench comprising HL Dattu, set to become Chief Justice of India later this month, and SA Bobde deferred hearing Sinha's objection to the court taking cognisance of the alleged entry register till September 9, when it will decide whether the CBI director should recuse himself from these cases. The names in the register are said to include various people facing charges themselves or linked to those who have cases.

The bench asked Bhushan to submit copies of the entry register through an affidavit so that the court can deal with the issue. These had been produced in support of the demand that Sinha step aside from the 2G case. On Thursday, another NGO, Common Cause, which has challenged the coal block allocations, filed a fresh plea demanding that Sinha recuse himself from that case as well. This fresh application was also filed through Bhushan.

At the start of the much-awaited hearing on Thursday, there were fireworks in court when Sinha's lawyer Vikas Singh accused the media of infringing on the CBI director's "right to privacy and reputation". Singh incidentally is 2G-case accused Shahid Balwa's counsel as well.

Singh demanded a blanket ban on any publishing of material related to the entry register. "This is a huge invasion of privacy. Somebody's reputation is at stake," the senior advocate said. "He is an important functionary of the government. If he meets a dignitary at home, any dignitary, it will be debated. He met them in a personal capacity, in a confidential manner," he said. Dattu rejected this.

"The press has its freedom." Singh also protested against leaks in the media. "These are a matter of concern," he said. "The court must reject these papers," he said, referring to the entry register copies that were submitted in a sealed cover. "The court (should) also ask the petitioner how they procured the material," Singh said.

The court assured him that it would certainly ask the NGO if the documents were procured in a lawful manner. "You will have a say. The heavens are not going to fall in a day or two," Dattu told Singh, who demanded an urgent hearing to clear the CBI director's name. "Pendency of these proceedings will hurt his reputation," the lawyer said. Dattu rejected his pleas, saying that the bench was monitoring the case.

Common Cause said Sinha should be asked to disengage from the coal case. "There are incontrovertible facts in public domain which lead to the inescapable conclusion that it is necessary to remove Sinha from the case for ensuring fair and impartial investigations," it said. "Before spelling out the new revelations, the petitioners would like to enumerate the instances of undue interference on the part of Sinha already on the record of this court."

One accusation was that he tried to change the CBI status report submitted to the court at the behest of the executive, it said. He was also instrumental in repeatedly over-ruling investigative officers and forcing them to desist from registering first information reports or regular cases in instances where preliminary enquiries had been registered, the application alleged.

He even forced them to file closure reports in cases where FIRs had already been registered, it alleged. "Now a trusted whistle-blower has brought to the petitioner's notice some significant information contained in the entry register of the years 2013 and 2014 maintained at the official residence of the CBI director," it said.

"This record... shows that the CBI director had met at his residence several persons who are the accused in prominent cases like coal blocks allocation scam, 2G scam... without any of the investigation officers being present. Many of the meetings were held late at night."

The application mentions Vijay Darda and his son Devendra Darda who are being investigated over the allocation of coal blocks. It said he also met Subodh Kant Sahay, former Union Minister, whose brother's company was allotted coal blocks and was being investigated by the CBI.

It also sought a special investigative team or SIT to inquire into what it said was the abuse of authority by the CBI director in seeking to scuttle inquires, investigations and prosecutions being carried out by the agency in the coal block and other important cases

Syndicate Bank scam :Banks ask Bhushan to sell & lease back critical assets

Manojit Saha  |  Mumbai  August 20, 2014 

A day after effectively taking charge of Bhushan Steel, lendershave delivered another punch. The bankers’ consortium, which met in New Delhi on Monday, has asked the troubled steel maker to sell and lease back some of its critical assets to reduce debt, as the borrower is finding it difficult to raise equity from the market.

This is part of the road map drawn by SBI Caps, the merchant banking arm of State Bank of India (SBI), for recovery of around Rs 40,000 crore that Bhushan Steel has borrowed from 35 lenders.

According to the plan, the steel company has been asked to deleverage by repaying debt. However, given the company’s present problems that led to a slide in its share price, raising equity through a qualified institutional placement was not a viable proposition at this point, a banker who attended Monday’s meeting told Business Standard.

THE STORY SO FAR

AUGUST 2 CBI arrests Syndicate Bank’s chief, S K Jain, over graft charges AUGUST 7 CBI arrests Bhushan Steel Vice-Chairman & Managing Director Neeraj Singal for allegedly bribing Jain AUGUST 8 SBI Chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya says an external agency will be appointed to monitor day-to-day operations of Bhushan Steel. AUGUST 18 Lenders decide to go for forensic audit; say they will nominate three members on the company’s board

The share price of Bhushan Steel has fallen 62 per cent since August 5. The shares closed at Rs 144.90 apiece on Tuesday.

Bankers said four assets, including a coke oven plant, had been identified by the steel company. It is not immediately known how much debt will be reduced through the sale and lease-back.

According to bankers, there is no dearth of buyers for the company’s facilities and SBI Caps is in the process of identifying prospective bidders, which might include global steel producers.

Banks have tightened their grip on the firm since its vice-chairman & managing director, Neeraj Singal, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on August 7 for allegedly bribing SK Jain, the now-suspended chairman & managing director of Syndicate Bank.

Bankers said the forensic audit, as decided by the consortium on Monday, would be done by an external agency and would seek to find out if the firm diverted the borrowed funds or used those for purposes other than those for which the loans were given.

It would also find out whether there was creation of genuine assets.

These steps were taken even as the loans continue to be standard on the books of banks and have not become non-performing. However, following the liquidity problem that Bhushan Steel, one of the most indebted steel makers of the country, is facing, the loan is now categorised as special mention account 2 that is overdue in 60 days.

A concurrent auditor will also be appointed to monitor cash flows on a daily basis and an independent engineer will look at the operations of the company.

“Given the magnitude of the exposure and the number of lenders involved, banks will take a huge hit if the loan turns bad,” said a senior executive of a public-sector bank.

Syndicate Bank chief held on allegations of bribery

BS 3 Aug 2014

The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested S K Jain, chairman and managing director of Syndicate Bank, for allegedly accepting bribes from private companies to extend credit facilities.

On Saturday, the agency conducted raids at 20 locations across Bangalore, Bhopal, Mumbai and Delhi, after registering a case in the matter. It confiscated Rs 50 lakh, allegedly received by Jain as bribe. “So far, searches have led to recoveries of several asset papers and incriminating documents,” said a CBI spokesperson.

During the raids, the CBI also unearthed about Rs 21 lakh in cash, gold worth Rs 1.68 crore and fixed deposit receipts of Rs 63 lakh.

The CBI alleged Jain had enhanced the credit limit to certain private companies, in violation of rules and regulations. The companies concerned are believed to be embroiled in the coal block allocation scam, according to the investigative agency.

Jain’s brother-in-law, as well as a chartered accountant, have also been taken into police custody. Vipul Agarwal of Prakash Industries Delhi has also been arrested in the case. Sources said a few others, including Neeraj Singhal, vice-chairman of Bhushan Steel, were also likely to be arrested.

Efforts to contact Singhal and the Bhushan Steel chief financial officer proved futile till the time of going to press.

For the quarter ended June, Syndicate Bank reported a 7.3 per cent rise in net profit at Rs 485 crore, compared with Rs 452 crore in the corresponding period last year. The bank’s total income rose 16.8 per cent to Rs 5,523 crore from Rs 4,726 crore in the year-ago period. During the same period, provisioning fell from Rs 489 crore to Rs 468 crore. While the bank’s net interest income rose one per cent to Rs 1,351 crore, against Rs 1,338 crore in the corresponding quarter last year, net interest margin declined to 2.47 per cent from 2.83 per cent. Deposits rose 17.72 per cent to Rs 2,14,863 crore from Rs 1,82,513 crore in the first quarter of 2013-14.

WELL VERSED IN VARIOUS FACETS OF BANKING

Sudhir Kumar Jain, whom Syndicate Bank employees describe as “soft-spoken”, took charge as chairman and managing director of the bank on July 8, 2013. A commerce graduate and chartered accountant, he started his career as credit manager at Dena Bank in 1987, steadily rising through the ranks to become general manager, heading the bank’s accounts, treasury, retail banking, investor relations and international segments. He also served as executive director of Bank of Baroda for two years. Jain, who hails from Rajasthan, has 27 years of experience in various facets of banking and has worked across capacities and locations, including Kolkata, Ahmedabad and New Delhi.

CBI registers case against Syndicate Bank CMD

Syndicate Bank CMD Sudhir Kumar Jain

BL :NEW DELHI, AUGUST 2: 2014

The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case of alleged bribery against the Chairman & Managing Director of Syndicate Bank, Sudhir Kumar Jain and 11 others including CMD & Directors of two private firms based at Delhi. Case has been registered under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and criminal conspiracy.

The allegation pertains to Jain asking for bribe to extend credit facilities to certain companies. The agency also raided 20 places at 4 cities of Bangalore, Bhopal, Mumbai and Delhi. It has recovered bribe amount of Rs 50 lakhs. A senior CBI official said that cash amounting approximately Rs 21 lakh, gold worth Rs 1.68 crore and Fixed Deposit Receipts worth Rs 63 lakh found from Jain.

He also disclosed names of suspected/accused in this case which include Neeraj Singhal (Vice Chairman of Delhi based Bhushan Steel), Ved Prakash Agarwal (Chairman & Managing Director of Delhi based Prakash Industries), Vipul Agarwal (Prakash Industries), Pawan Bansal, Vineet Godha, Punit Godha, Vijay Pahuja, Pursotam Lal Totlani and Pankaj Bansal.

According to an official statement, it is alleged that the said public servant has been indulging into negotiations for illegal gratification directly as well as through middlemen for extending undue favour to private companies by granting sanction to various financial proposals. The private persons on behalf of companies and others allegedly enter into criminal conspiracy and obtain illegal gratification meant for the public servant and further deliver it to the middlemen on behalf of the public servant.

It is further alleged, that in one case, the public servant was directly negotiating with a private company for an illegal gratification of Rs. 50 lakh in lieu of granting credit extension to the said company as it had defaulted on the payment of loan installments amounting to crores of rupees to the bank. The officials of the said company allegedly agreed to pay the said illegal gratification and the money was transferred to the middlemen who are also relative of the public servant. CBI laid a trap and recovered the illegal gratification of Rs. 50 lakh on the spot after the said delivery was made.

Jain assumed charge as CMD of the bank on July 8 last year. He has been in banking industry for 26 years.

(This article was published on August 2, 2014)

CBI files case against Dena bank manager

The Hindu 19 July 14

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against the former Branch Manager of Dena Bank and others for allegedly cheating the bank of Rs. 220 crore.

“As alleged by the bank, Vimal Barot of Showman Group (Mumbai) committed the offence in connivance with Pritam Vidyadhar Nagarkar, the then Branch Manager of Dena Bank in Malabar Hill. The bank officer is presently holding the post of Chief Manager,” said a CBI official.

According to the CBI, Mr. Barot allegedly approached seven corporate firms posing as a representative of the bank. Claiming that they would get returns at a high interest rate, he allegedly convinced them to put huge sums of money with the bank as fixed deposits.

 “He represented himself as a financial advisor of the corporates and ‘facilitated’ the bank in mobilising term deposits to the tune of Rs. 256.49 crore from them. Against the deposits, the accused got sanctioned a total loan of Rs. 220 crore from the bank in conspiracy with the former Bank Manager and got the amount diverted to himself,” said the official.

The agency is probing the authenticity of the loan applications purportedly issued by the corporate firms concerned.

CBI Grilled Maran Last Month’

IE  Yatish YadavJune 17, 2014

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the ‘illegal telephone exchange’ case against former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran had questioned him last month.

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the ‘illegal telephone exchange’ case against former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran had questioned him last month.

A CBI official confirmed to the Express that Maran was examined by investigators looking into the alleged allocation of over 300 BSNL high-speed phone lines given to Maran and purportedly used by a company which was owned by his family. It was alleged that high speed phone lines, which were allotted to Maran’s residence, were routed to the family-owned Sun TV through underground cables. CBI officials while refusing to divulge details about Maran examination and said he might be questioned again.

The agency had alleged that high speed lines were used in connivance with the BSNL for transmission huge, loss the government exchequer. Subsequently, two BSNL officials were booked by the CBI and it had examined two former executive of SUN network Sharad Kumar and Hansraj Saxena on June 7.