MUMBAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked IAS officer Sanjeev Hans, a former private secretary to the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, along with others including a Mumbai - based construction firm, in an alleged ₹1 crore bribery case linked to a builder-buyer dispute.
According to the CBI, the case pertains to the alleged demand and acceptance of a ₹1 crore bribe in 2019 in exchange for facilitating favourable orders from the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) in a case involving East & West Builders. The commission is a quasi-judicial body set up under the Consumer Protection Act, and functions under the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
The FIR was registered on Friday against Hans, a Bihar cadre IAS officer of the 1997 batch, the Mumbai firm, a promoter of the firm’s group company, and others, including alleged aides of the officer. The case has been registered under charges of criminal conspiracy and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act related to bribery of a public servant and abetment.
According to the investigators, a private individual identified as V Bansal, an alleged associate of the officer, acted as an intermediary and arranged a meeting between the promoter of the firm’s group company and the IAS officer. During the meeting, the promoter allegedly agreed to pay ₹1 crore to secure favourable orders from the NCDRC in the pending dispute.
{{/usCountry}}According to the investigators, a private individual identified as V Bansal, an alleged associate of the officer, acted as an intermediary and arranged a meeting between the promoter of the firm’s group company and the IAS officer. During the meeting, the promoter allegedly agreed to pay ₹1 crore to secure favourable orders from the NCDRC in the pending dispute.
{{/usCountry}}The CBI has alleged that the officer subsequently managed two favourable hearing dates from the NCDRC bench in the firm’s case and also facilitated non-arrest of one of the firm’s directors. In return, the bribe amount was allegedly paid through intermediaries in multiple instalments.
Investigators alleged that Hans shared contact details of two associates, S Khan and P Bajaj, to facilitate the transfer of funds. As part of the transactions, ₹15 lakh was allegedly transferred on August 9, 2019, to the bank account of a friend of the officer, while the remaining amount was allegedly routed indirectly through associates.
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