September 30, 2024

The World Opinion

Your Global Perspective

Two Union secretaries would possibly quickly be repatriated to UP over position in Rs 2,268 crore PF rip-off

Categorical Information Carrier

The Union energy secretary Alok Kumar and agriculture secretary Sanjay Agarwal would possibly quickly be repatriated to their cadre state Uttar Pradesh the place the CBI has sought sanction to analyze them in a Rs 2,268 crore PF rip-off.

Resources stated that the order for his or her repatriation would possibly come “any time” because the Union govt does now not need to face the embarrassment of getting its best officials investigated for corruption. The federal government, due to this fact, desires to shift the motion to the state.

The CBI has sought the sanction to probe the 2 officials in a case in the case of illegally making an investment the provident fund of Uttar Pradesh Energy Company Ltd (UPPCL) staff in a non-public corporate Dewan Housing Finance Ltd (DHFL), which was once later accused of siphoning off Rs 31,000 crore of financial institution loans thru a internet of shell corporations. The UPPCL invested a complete of Rs 4,122 crore in temporary fastened deposit schemes of DHFL, out of which Rs 1,854 crore was once won on maturation of FDs, however Rs 2,268 crore continues to be now not recovered.

Mr Sanjay Agarwal was once UPPCL chairman from 2013 to the center of 2017, and a part of the UPPCL staff’ PF cash was once invested in DHFL all through this era. The funding in DHFL was once in violation of presidency tips that expressly stated that PF cash must now not be invested in a monetary establishment that isn’t a scheduled financial institution. Mr Agarwal was once succeeded in UPPCL by way of Mr Alok Kumar, who persisted making an investment in DHFL. Mr Kumar remained on the helm of UPPCL for just about two years.

The case was once passed over to the CBI by way of the Yogi Adityanath govt in March 2020. Prior to that, the subject was once investigated by way of the industrial offences wing of Uttar Pradesh police. A few dozen other folks, together with former managing director A P Mishra and different best officers, had been arrested up to now.

But even so Mr Alok Kumar and Mr Sanjay Agarwal, the CBI has sought sanction from the Uttar Pradesh govt to analyze any other IAS officer Aparna U, who’s at the moment serving as secretary within the govt of Uttar Pradesh. Ms Aparna had succeeded Mr Alok Kumar because the MD, UPPCL.

As in line with contemporary adjustments made by way of the Centre in the usual running process for investigating public servants, the investigating company is needed to first check {that a} case is made out in opposition to a central authority servant earlier than in search of sanction for continuing in opposition to him. The CBI is, due to this fact, satisfied those officials are prima facie concerned within the PF rip-off.

DHFL promoters Wadhawan brothers – Dheeraj and Kapil – are already in CBI custody within the Sure Financial institution case.