The CBI has alleged that the bribes received in lieu of contracts awarded during the tenure of suspended IAS officer Rajendra Kumar, who has been arrested on allegations of corruption, were diverted to various companies and entities.
According to the agency, bribes to the extent of Rs. 3.3 crore were received in the accounts of Mr. Kumar’s “front company” Endeavour Systems Pvt. Ltd. by way of camouflaged agreements against the contracts. Works worth Rs. 33 crore were awarded to other companies in Delhi Transco Ltd. and the Trade and Taxes Department of the Delhi government. “The bribes have been further diverted to other companies or entities in the fields of real estate, education or publication,” said a CBI official.
The CBI alleges that contracts worth Rs. 9.5 crore were awarded to Endeavour System, through Intelligent Communication System India Ltd. (ICSIL). The agency also accused the then ICSIL managing director R.S. Kaushik of manipulating conditions to empanel Endeavour Systems, in conspiracy with others, despite the fact that the public sector unit already had empanelled several other firms and there was no requirement for further empanelment.
The CBI probe revealed that accused Ashok Kumar, a former Delhi government official arrested for alleged involvement, was a junior of Mr. Kumar in school. Mr. Ashok Kumar worked under him in the Delhi government’s Education Department. He quit the job in 2010 and allegedly managed the affairs of the Endeavour Systems.
“It is alleged that Ashok Kumar, on the instructions of Mr. Kumar, was also instrumental in setting up enterprises like Shantiniketan Buildtech Pvt. Ltd and Educity Pedagogy through a set of conduits,” said the official.
It has been alleged that Endeavour Systems director Dinesh Kumar Gupta, who is also an accused in the case along with another director Sandeep Kumar, arm-twisted the partners of another firm to extract Rs.69 lakh on the pretext of an agreement for supply of proprietary software worth Rs.10.35 crore to VAT Department.
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