The CBI logo.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Mumbai: In a major crackdown, the Central Bureau of Investigation has raided 17 locations across four states in connection with alleged corruption against officials of the prestigious National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) in Nagpur.
The CBI action took following a complaint filed by the Chief Vigilance Officer, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi.
Three cases have been registered, according to a CBI statement.
Those who have been booked in the first case are: Dr Rakesh Kumar, the then Director, CSIR- NEERI, Nagpur, Dr. Atya Kapley, the then Senior Scientist & Head, Director’s Research Cell, CSIR-NEERI, Nagpur, Alaknanda Technologies Pvt Ltd, Navi Mumbai, Enviro Policy Research India Pvt Ltd, Thane and Emergy Enviro Pvt Ltd, Mumbai.
The accused public servants entered criminal conspiracy with accused private companies allowing cartelization and collusive bidding, splitting of tenders/works, not obtaining financial concurrence of competent authority, in lieu of undue advantage, the CBI said.
The accused in the second case are: Dr Rakesh Kumar, the then Director, CSIR- NEERI, Nagpur, Dr. Ritesh Vijay, the then Principal Scientist, CSIR-NEERI, Nagpur and Waste to Energy Research & Technology Council-India, Mumbai.
The accused individuals and the entity allegedly connived to get favours from the company in 2018-2019 which was selected arbitrarily without the consent of the CSIR top authorities, and Dr. Kumar was having associated with the company in 2015-2016.
In the third case, those booked are: Dr. Sunil Gulia, the then Scientist Fellow of Delhi Zonal Centre, NEERI and later Senior Scientist, CSIR-NEERI, Nagpur, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Goyal, the then Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-NEERI, Nagpur, ESS Environment Consultants Private Ltd and Alaknanda Technologies Private Ltd.
They allegedly hatched a criminal conspiracy for major irregularities in procurement, fabrication, supply, installation and commissioning of WAYU-II devices, a patented-proprietary property of NEERI, with attempts to create a monopoly for the two companies, bypassing norms for undue advantage.
The raids were carried out in Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana and Bihar.