The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has recently apprehended key officials from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and a Managing Director (MD) of a private company in a significant bribery case. This comes on the heels of a separate case involving Central Excise officials and representatives from a private company, which resulted in heavy penalties and imprisonment.
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CBI Arrests Two Officers of DGFT Including Joint Director of Foreign Trade of DGFT And MD of Private Company In A Bribery Case
Dated: 06-09-2023
The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Joint Director General of Foreign Trade, Visakhapatnam; a Section Head working in the office of JDGFT and Managing Director of private company based at Hyderabad in a bribery case.
A case was registered against a Joint Director General of Foreign Trade, Visakhapatnam; Section Head working in the office of JDGFT at Regional Authority of DGFT, Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh); Managing Director of private company based at Hyderabad. It was alleged that the said public servants were demanding & collecting huge amounts of bribes from the Consultants for issuing new Import Export Certificates as well as for its renewals and other related licenses through Consultants/conduits.
CBI laid a trap. The Joint Director General of Foreign Trade, Visakhapatnam was apprehended for demanding & collecting bribe of Rs.4 Lakh and Section Head, working in the office of JDGFT for demanding & collecting bribe of Rs.50,000/- from Managing Director of private company based at Hyderabad. The briber giver(MD of said private company) was also apprehended.
Searches were conducted at the premises of the accused including at Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad & Bangalore which led to recovery of incriminating documents.
All the arrested accused were produced today before the Court of Principal Special Judge for CBI Cases, Visakhapatnam and were remanded to Judicial Custody till 18.09.2023.
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Four years’ rigorous imprisonment to eight accused, including then inspectors of Central Excise, and then Managing Director of a private company for causing a huge loss to the government exchequer.
Dated: 01-09-2023
The Special Judge, CBI Cases, Indore(Madhya Pradesh) has convicted three then Inspectors of Central Excise & Customs, Indore i.e Shri Ashutosh Nath, Shri Manoj Chandrawnshi & Shri K.G. Sharma; five officials of M/s Maikaal Fibers Ltd i.e Shri Mrigendra Jalan(then Managing Director), Shri Deepak Nagar(then Director), Shri Abhijeet Sen Gupta,(then AGM), Shri Rajeev Dutta(then AGM) & Shri B.L. Shrivastava, (then officer, Commercial Department) and sentenced them to undergo four years Rigorous Imprisonment with fine of Rs.40,000/-each for causing huge loss to the Government Exchequer.
CBI had registered the instant case on 03.10.2007 on the allegations that the public servants of Central Excise, Khalbujurg, Range-I, Indore Division & others entered into conspiracy with the officials of M/s Maikaal Fibers Ltd, during the period 2003-2006 and facilitated the company in removal of excisable goods from the premises of the company in the name of exports & diverted the same into domestic tariff area without payment of applicable duties. An alleged loss to the tune of Rs.13 crore(approx) was caused to the Central Excise Department.
After investigation, a charge sheet was filed against the nine accused. During trial, one accused expired and hence, the Court abated all charges against him.
The Trial Court found the said accused guilty and convicted them.
