New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a corruption case against the former Senior Accounts officer/Deputy Manager of BHEL, Kothagudem, Telangana, and three private persons, involving a GST fraud of over Rs 68 lakh, an official said on Friday.

The case has been registered based on a complaint received from the Chief Vigilance Officer alleging that there were irregularities in payments at the Thermal Power Project, Kothagudem, by a former Senior Accounts officer/Deputy Manager of BHEL.

It was alleged that the accused diverted the GST input credits of three private companies to unrelated sub-contractors and misappropriated the same.

Searches were conducted at six places in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and incriminating documents were seized, the CBI said in a statement.

The CBI FIR said that Shiv Pal Singh, IFS, Chief Vigilance Officer, lodged a complaint dated September 18, 2023, alleging that there were irregularities in payments at 1X800 MW – Stage VII Unit 12, Kothagudem, Thermal Power Project, Kothagudem, made by G. Siva Nageswara Rao, former Sr. Accounts Officer/Dy. Manager of BHEL.

The CVO alleged that Rao diverted the GST input credits of M/s Shankaranarayana Constructions P Ltd (SNCPL), M/s Power Mech Projects Ltd (PMPL) and M/s Vasavi Electro Systems P Ltd (VESPL) to unrelated sub-contractors’ and misappropriated the same.

The CBI FIR noted that a preliminary enquiry into the matter established a clear and repeated pattern of fraudulent activity and criminal collusion between a public servant and private individuals using a letter alleged to have been issued by SNCPL.

The letter was forged by the accused, resulting in the illegal release and diversion of SHEL-held funds to co-accused Somireddy Marakala, Ramakrishna and Srinivas Rao Raav, said the FIR.

The probe agency said the diversion of funds ultimately benefited Rao. Further, the enquiry also outlined suspicious transactions of Rs 68 lakh in the accounts of Rao and his family, which warrant a criminal investigation.

The CBI FIR, registered on Thursday, said that the preliminary enquiry established a clear case of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and criminal misappropriation by Rao, a public servant and the three co-accused.

–IANS

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