CBI arrests NCL officials, own DSP after busting bribery racket in MP

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested five individuals, including two senior officials of Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), in a bribery and corruption case traced to Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh.

In a statement issued on Monday, the probe agency said that it has arrested Subedar Ojha, Manager (Secretariat), and Personal Secretary to the CMD of NCL, after recovering Rs 3.85 crore in cash from his residence during searches conducted on Saturday.

“This amount was allegedly amassed from several contractors and officials in lieu of favours for their operations in NCL, Singrauli,” the CBi said.

The other arrested persons include Joy Joseph Damle, a DSP posted with the CBI's Anti-Corruption Branch in Jabalpur, Lt. Colonel (Retd) Basant Kumar Singh, Chief Manager (Administration) at NCL, Ravi Shankar Singh, proprietor of Sangam Engineering in Singrauli, and his aide Diwesh Singh.

Ravi Shankar Singh, an alleged middleman, was reportedly acting as a conduit between various contractors/businessmen and several officials of NCL, facilitating and delivering bribes to the officials of NCL, a 'Mini Ratna' company under the Coal Ministry that has come under scanner following the CBI operation.

Ravi Shankar Singh's aide Diwesh Singh was caught red-handed while delivering Rs 5 lakh bribe to CBI DSP Joy Joseph Damle in lieu of obtaining a favourable report in matters pertaining to complaints pending against them with the CBI.

Ravi Shankar Singh and Diwesh Singh were acting as middlemen between NCL officials and Damle.

It was alleged that on August 16, on the instructions of Ravi Shankar Singh, his employee Ajay Verma collected the aforesaid undue advantage of Rs 5 lakh from Lt. Colonel Basant Kumar Singh (Retd), Chief Manager (Administration), NCL, Singrauli.

The bribe amount was allegedly sent by Subedar Ojha, and on August 17, Ravi Shankar Singh instructed Diwesh Singh to deliver the amount to DSP Damle.

Earlier, a regular case was registered against Ravi Shankar Singh, Lt Colonel Basant Kumar Singh, Subedar Ojha, Diwesh Singh, Joy Joseph Damle, and other officials and unknown others.

Searches were conducted at several places in Singrauli, Jabalpur, and Noida during which a large amount of cash, digital devices, and several incriminating documents were seized.