CBI books ex-CVO of NTPC for acquiring disproportionate wealth

M Ram Prasad Rao allegedly acquired the assets when he was serving as the Chief Vigilance Officer at National Thermal Power Corporation between Feb 2013- July 2016.

The CBI has booked a senior Indian Forest Service officer and his wife for allegedly amassing assets worth over Rs 10 crore, which were 240 per cent above his known sources of income.

The Central Bureau of Investigation logo.

The investigation agency has registered an FIR under charges of corruption against M Ram Prasad Rao, a 1986-batch IFoS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, his wife M Kanaka Durga and the companies owned by her - Bala Kanaka Durga Properties, Satya Avenues Pvt. Ltd. and Krishna Enterprises, Dwarka.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleged that it had covered the assets acquired by Rao when he was on central deputation and serving as the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) at National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) between February, 2013 and July, 2016.

The agency alleged that Rao was learnt to have acquired properties and movable assets in the names of his wife, children and the companies.

The CBI has said Rao’s wife was engaged in real estate business and set up Bala Kanaka Durga Properties, Satya Avenues Pvt. Ltd. and Krishna Enterprises, Dwarka, in 2009, 2014 and 2015 respectively.

“There was not much business activity in these companies and the income generated by these companies was very nominal,” the FIR, registered earlier this week, alleged.

It said Rao ensured filing of returns with the Income Tax department and the Registrar of Companies to allegedly “cover up his clandestine financial transactions”.

“The source information further disclosed that he ensured the filing of returns, balance sheets, etc. of the companies to the government departments with concealed information,” it alleged.

The CBI has alleged that Rao, while working as the NTPC CVO, started amassing huge immovable and movable properties in the names of his wife, children and the companies in Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

It is alleged that he acquired properties to the tune of Rs 14.92 crore during his tenure as CVO, which included properties acquired by his wife and Bala Kanaka Durga Properties.

After deducting expenses and genuine incomes, the agency has concluded that the value of disproportionate assets was over Rs 10 crore.

“...other shareholders of the firms are suspected to be fictitious persons. Rao, his family members are suspected to have routed their illegal money through such companies and individuals,” it said.