Led by Dhanbad CBI SP V.K. Singh, more than 50 officers of the central investigating agency from Ranchi, Patna and the coal capital, were on the job since 7 am, seizing several incriminating documents along with the central computer server.
Among the GMs whose offices in the main administrative building were raided were Shankar Chowdhury (human resources), Shankar Narain (materials), and Shitansu Prasad (personnel and administration). This apart, deputy general manager (personnel) Balasubramaniam’s office was also searched. All of them were members of a promotion committee that okayed the controversial decisions.
Assisting the CBI officers in the seven-hour-long operation were 10 Bokaro Steel employees, all witnesses in the case, who led the sleuths to locations where the incriminating documents and files had allegedly been hidden. “We have been on the prowl since the last few months and were working overtime to catch the culprits along with proof,” said Singh. “Now, several Bokaro Steel officers will be summoned for interrogation including topshots who may have retired recently. Our work has just begun,” he added.
Simultaneous raids were also conducted today on the Delhi premises of M/S A.B.C Assessment Services, a consultant employed by the PSU to handle some of the paperwork pertaining to the promotions.
According to CBI sources, the promotions were granted to 394 employees by following a seemingly fool-proof procedure followed by a promotion committee who marked candidates on the basis of a written test and interviews.
But after the results were announced, several eligible employees suspected foul play and moved court in January 2009. They alleged that the kith and kin of several prominent politicians, including those from Bihar and Jharkhand, were favoured, while legitimate candidates were denied promotions.
Other employees, who were denied promotions, also complained to the central vigilance officer of SAIL, Bokaro Steel’s parent company. The vigilance officer, finding merit in their complaint, asked the CBI to investigate.
On June 11 this year, the CBI lodged a case under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act 13(1).
After today’s raids, a senior CBI officer exclaimed that a can of worms seemed to have been pried open. “Investigations may unearth more instances of corruption involving the PSU’s senior management, especially in the use of funds meant for corporate social responsibility projects, recruitments of plant attendants and issuing of advertisements worth crores to fly-by-night newspapers and tabloids.”
Courtesy: The Telegraph, Calcutta Dt : Friday , July 2 , 2010
