The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned Odisha cadre senior IAS officer Bishnupad Sethi for investigation in the Rs 10 lakh bribery case. The CBI has already arrested a senior official of a central PSU, a director of a private company and a private individual in this case.
The central investigation agency had issued a letter on December 10 to Sethi, who is currently serving as principal secretary of the state SC/ST, Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) and Oriya Language, Literature and Culture departments.
According to sources, Sethi ignored the December 11 summons and sought time through his lawyer. Sethi has not yet responded to this issue.
“You are aware of some important and relevant facts and circumstances of the instant CBI case, which are required to be ascertained from you. Hence it is requested that you please join the investigation of the instant CBI case,” the letter said.
According to sources, Sethi’s driver has also been called in the case.
Although the exact reason behind Sethi’s summons is not known, sources said that Sethi, as principal secretary of the SC/ST Development Department, had asked the Bridge and Roof Co. (India) Ltd., awarded projects to Miniratna Central PSUs.
On December 7, CBI arrested Chanchal Mukherjee, Group General Manager of Bridge and Roof Company (India) Limited, on the charge that the director of a private company based in Bhubaneswar demanded a bribe of Rs 10 lakh. The agency, which claims to have caught Mukherjee red-handed, has allegedly recovered bribe money from an SUV.
Another private individual has been arrested in the role of conspirator in aiding and abetting the exchange of improper benefits.
The CBI has registered a case under Section 61(2) of the Indian Judicial Code and Sections 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against the three persons and some unidentified government employees and private individuals.
After the arrests, the agency also conducted searches at eight locations in Bhubaneswar and Kolkata, seizing “incriminating documents”, vehicles used in crime and digital devices, CBI sources said.
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