CBI starts probeNew Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) The CBI has registered a case inconnection with the illegal transfer of Rs 100 crore from aJharkhand government account for the midday meal programme inState Bank of India to a private builder, officials saidtoday.
The agency carried out searches at the official premisesof the accused and the company Bhanu Construction in Ranchiyesterday, officials said.
The FIR was registered against the company, its partnersSanjay Kumar Tiwari and Suresh Kumar and Ajay Oraon, formerdeputy manager of the bank's Hatia branch who has now beensuspended.
The FIR, registered on the complaint of a State Bank ofIndia officer, alleged that a deputy manager (BusinessDevelopment Department) of the bank "dishonestly and byabusing his official position" transferred over Rs 100 crorefrom the account of "Rajya Madhyan Bhojan Pradhikaran" toBhanu Construction.
"On August 05, 2017, State Bank of India, Hatia Branchreceived six debit advices from the...Government of Jharkhandfor transfer of Rs 120.31 crore from their Saving Bank Accountto multiple accounts maintained with different banks includingState Bank of India," it alleged.
Rs 20.29 crore was to be transferred to State Bank ofIndia and Rs 100.01 crore was to be transferred to other bankaccounts, the FIR said.
For bulk transfer through real time gross settlement andnational electronic fund transfer (RTGS/NEFT), Rs 100.01 crorewas debited from the account of Jharkhand Rajya Madhyan BhojanPradhikaran and was temporarily parked in office/suspenseaccount of the branch for processing of the transfer tovarious accounts.
"Due to failure in uploading, the entire amount of Rs100.01 crore got returned to the office and suspense accountof the Branch," it said.
Instead of crediting back Rs 100.01 crore to the accountof Jharkhand Rajya Madhyan Bhojan Pradhikaran from officeaccount, it alleged that then deputy manager Oraon transferredthe amount to the current account of Bhanu Construction.
Tiwari and Kumar dishonestly transferred the amount totheir various accounts. It was utilised and misappropriated bykeeping it as a liquid security or margin for the creditfacility extended to them by Axis Bank Ltd, HDFC Bank, SREIEquipment Finance Ltd and Cholamandalam Investment and FinanceCompany Ltd, the FIR alleged.
According to the FIR, the SBI managed to recover Rs76.29 crore on November 20, 2017 from various accounts withdifferent banks but Rs 23.28 crore could not recovered,"resulting in loss to the bank and corresponding gain forBhanu Construction".
The agency has booked the accused under charges ofcriminal conspiracy, cheating and under provisions of thePrevention of Corruption Act. PTI ABSMIN.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.