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CBI books ex-WAPCOS CMD over financial irregularities, travel payments for son
Union Jal Shakti minister CR Patil has granted the mandatory prior approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act to the CBI for initiating a probe against RK Agrawal.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against Rajni Kant Agrawal, former chairman and managing director (CMD) of WAPCOS (Water and Power Consultancy Services), under the ministry of Jal Shakti, for alleged financial irregularities, people familiar with the development said.
The federal anti-corruption probe agency took up the matter based on a reference from the Jal Shakti ministry. Officials said Union Jal Shakti minister CR Patil has granted the mandatory prior approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act to the CBI for initiating a probe against Agrawal.
According to the CBI first information report (FIR), filed on April 30 and seen by HT, the allegations include payment of his son’s college fees and air travel expenses by project managers from different offices of WAPCOS and NPCC (National Projects Construction Corporation Limited), another central public sector enterprise.
“Manan Agrawal, son of RK Agrawal, completed his studies from Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, for which fee for the period 2018 to 2022 has been paid by the project managers of different offices of WAPCOS Ltd and NPCC. The airfare to and from travel of son of RK Agrawal from Delhi to Chennai during travel on holiday, festival(s) and otherwise was also paid by the project manager of different offices of WAPCOS Ltd and NPCC,” the FIR stated.
Detailing specific instances, the CBI said an amount of ₹2.5 lakh was paid to Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) towards tuition, hostel and advance fees for Manan Agrawal by the Chandigarh office of WAPCOS.
“It is further alleged that there are several other instances of payment of fees in online or through demand draft mode, for Manan Agrawal from May 16, 2018 to January 8, 2022 amounting to ₹11,26,730, in total, which are suspected to be paid by unknown officials of WAPCOS and NPCC or other private persons,” the agency said.
Apart from RK Agrawal, the FIR also names “unknown officials” of WAPCOS and NPCC in the list of accused.
