The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case U/s 120-B of IPC r/w 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, 477-A of IPC and 120-B, 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d ) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against the Member Revenue Board (an IAS Officer), Govt of Chhattisgarh; the then Locker Incharge & Manager, Bank of Baroda, Main Branch, Raipur and other accused persons.
It has been alleged that the accused public servants entered into a criminal conspiracy with a private person whereby, banks records were forged & fabricated and back dated entries were made with regard to transfer of a locker in the Bank of Baroda, Raipur to shield the accused IAS Officer from the penal provisions of Income Tax and other laws. As per the allegations, a locker was opened in the Bank of Baroda, Main Branch Raipur on 21.6.2000 in the joint name of the accused IAS Officer and A private person which was to be operated ‘Either or Survivor’. During February, 2010, the Income Tax Department conducted search at the residence of the aforesaid accused officer and recovered a bunch of keys in the key ring having the emblem of Bank of Baroda. One of the keys were later found to be of a locker of Bank of Baroda, Main Branch, Raipur. The Income Tax Department searched the locker of Baroda on 9-10-2010 and found a cash of Rs 15 lacs in the said locker. In order to show the transfer of ownership of the locker to his brother, an application dated 3-7-2009, signed by the said IAS Officer and his brother, requesting for transfer of the locker, was submitted on 6-2-2010 to the then Locker Incharge & Manager. Another application dated 1/2/2010 intimating the bank about loss of locker key of said locker, was also submitted to the then Locker Incharge & Manager, Bank of Baroda on 9-2-2010. The entries regarding addition of name of the IAS Officer’s brother in the concerned record of the bank was done by some ad-hoc employee on 6/2/2010 on the instructions of the locker Incharge. The entry signature dated 13-1-2010 in the Locker Visitor’s Register was inserted by alleged new locker owner with the help of locker incharge. It has also been alleged that the accused IAS Officer had operated the locker on 3-7-2009 by impersonating as a private person by forging the signature of a deceased private person who had expired on 7-12-2005.
The investigation is continuing.
Press Release- New Delhi , 17-01-2011
