Chhattisgarh ACB registers FIR against 2 ex-IAS officers, former advocate general

The case was registered on Monday under sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (sections 7, 7A, 8, 13 (2) and section 182, 211, 193, 195-A, 166-A, B 120 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)

The Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case against two former IAS officers and former advocate general of Chhattisgarh high court for misusing their positions.

The first information report (FIR) claimed that the accused have tried to influence the court between 2019 to 2020. (Representative file photo)

The case was registered on Monday under sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (sections 7, 7A, 8, 13 (2) and section 182, 211, 193, 195-A, 166-A, B 120 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The first information report (FIR) claimed that the accused have tried to influence the court between 2019 to 2020.

The FIR stated that in the case of Nagrig Apurti Nigam (NAN) case, which was registered with EOW in 2015.

The NAN case came into light in 2014 when the ACB conducted raids in various parts of the state and seized cash and documents. The ACB also recovered coded diary entries of pay-offs to officials and politicians.

According to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed in 2015, in total 254 samples of rice 111 samples and out of 185 samples of salts 64 samples were found to be sub-standard and unfit for human consumption but were cleared by officers of NAN.

“Further the FIR registered on Monday claimed that the Income Tax Department in 2019, under Section 132(1) of the Income Tax Act, collected some digital evidence, and upon assessing these digital pieces of evidence, it was found that Anil Tuteja Alok Shukla not only attempted to obstruct the process registered by the Enforcement Directorate in ECIR/RPSZO/01/2019 but also, in collaboration with bureaucrats and officials holding constitutional positions in the Chhattisgarh government, tried to influence the trial of Crime Number 09/2015, which was pending in the Special Court, Raipur,” the FIR stated.

“These officials were among the most powerful in the government, with direct interference in all key appointments and transfers. It would not be an exaggeration to say that they had control over the entire Chhattisgarh government bureaucracy. Placement of desired officials in desired positions was also under their control, thus allowing them control over important officials in the state government,” the FIR stated.

The FIR further claimed that that the WhatsApp chats, (attached with FIR) it was prima facie found that, from 2019 to 2020, both officers, while serving as public servants in the Chhattisgarh government, misused their positions, granting undue advantage to then Advocate General Satish Chandra Verma.

“The accused were engaged in a criminal conspiracy by making changes to procedural and departmental documents and information related to the EOW, having replies drafted in their favour to be presented in the High Court in NAN scam, in order to obtain the benefit of anticipatory bail. They also aimed to secure anticipatory bail in (ECIR/RPSZO/01/2019) registered by the ED and pressured witnesses of NAN scam to alter their statements. Along with senior officials posted in the EOW, they acquired documents related to NAN scam via WhatsApp chats, continuing with the aforementioned crime sequence,” the FIR claimed.

Reacting to the FIR, Verma said that he is innocent, and he will prove it.

“The matter is pending in court, I am innocent, and I have done nothing wrong,” he said.