BHOPAL: Ongoing investigations into a honey-trap racket busted last week in Madhya Pradesh have revealed that its masterminds allegedly tried to gain access in Delhi for bagging central government works and mega contracts for their NGOs and corporate clients.
The masterminds were also allegedly eyeing a megaproject in Chhattisgarh for a big corporate client, using political and bureaucratic contacts in that state.
Sources privy to the investigation told this newspaper that around a year ago, the masterminds nearly managed to facilitate the clinching of an export-import-related contract for an NRI businessman.
Women members of the cartel allegedly tried to infiltrate in Delhi through different channels, including by targeting a Union minister from MP. But they twice failed to get close to the minister, the sources said.
The racket operatives were eyeing a mega government contract for a corporate client in Chhattisgarh.
“They were particularly zeroing in on Chhattisgarh, particularly as they had contacts with two-three former ministers as well as serving IFS and IAS officers,” said a source.
Police gets custody of all five women
Nine days after five women from Bhopal were arrested in connection with the honey trap racket, all of them were sent into police remand by an Indore court on Friday.
Accepting the plea for the police remand of all arrested accused, the court sent three women into police remand till September 30.
Earlier, the trio were in judicial remand as the police request did not submit sufficient ground to bolster their case.