The Central Bureau of Investigation has booked a former Enforcement Directorate official for allegedly receiving bribe to scuttle a probe under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
The accused, Gurnam Singh, was earlier repatriated to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (Chandigarh) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, from where he retired as Section Officer. The CBI registered the case following the Ministry's clearance.
It is alleged that Mr. Singh, while working as a Deputy Director with the ED in Chandigarh, took a bribe of ₹2.5 lakh from the father of one Disha Gupta in January, 2017, to settle a FEMA probe related to an FIR lodged by the Chandigarh Police in February, 2015.
The police case alleged that Ms. Gupta had misappropriated ₹1.10 crore of Health Bio Tech Limited. In March 2015, the ED received a copy of the FIR and initiated investigations into suspected foreign exchange violation.
The agency summoned Ms. Gupta and her parents in November 2016. As alleged, when they appeared before Mr. Singh, he demanded ₹2.5 lakh from Ms. Singh's father to help him “settle” the matter.
In two installments, the bribe amount was transferred to the account of Mr. Singh's mother. It was then sent to his son's account, the FIR alleges.
The CBI had earlier registered an alleged disproportionate assets case against the official in November 2017.
In March 2018, the ED raided the premises of Mr. Singh and his two contacts, following charges of extortion in connection with the ₹600-crore Unipay2U scam. Properties worth ₹4.8 crore were also attached.
The agency then filed a charge sheet, accusing him of having received bribes from the promoters of Ponzi schemes and extorting money from the investors. Mr. Singh’s wife Dalip Kaur and advocate Puneet Sharma, who represented the investors of Unipay Ponzi schemes in the Punjab and Chandigarh High Court, were also named.
