Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Corruption in High Places - India's Bane

Bribery-two senior bureaucrats arrested



New Delhi: Two senior bureaucrats have been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for allegedly taking bribes.

While O Ravi, a joint secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been arrested by the CBI's economic offence wing for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 25 lakh from liquor businessman Alok Khemani for getting him out of legal trouble; a senior Indian Railway Service Officer attached to the Ministry of Home Affairs RS Sharma is alleged to have taken a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from the same liquor businessman.

The 1983 batch IAS officer Ravi was arrested after the CBI raided his residence.

CBI Spokesperson Harsh Bahl issued statement on Wednesday evening saying that a case has been registered against both Ravi and Sharma. Ravi has been charged of criminal conspiracy and cheating for defrauding Daman and Diu excise department of Rs 340 crore by helping six Daman based distillers evade excise duty. The case against Sharma has been registered under Prevention of Corruption Act.

Sharma reportedly helped in procurement of bulletproof jacket and asked for money in return.

Four other people related to Rs 340 crore excise scam have also been arrested. The accused include Khemani, who owns Khemani Distillery and three other excise officials belonging to Daman and Diu.

Searches are also on at six places in Delhi and Daman.

Khemani is a liquor businessman from Daman and Diu and reportedly knew Ravi, who is a Gujarat cadre IAS officer.





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