CBI files FIR against 15 officials in Nashik for receiving bribe

NASHIK: The deputy superintendent of police, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Ranjeet Kumar Pandey, registered an FIR against 15 officials, including Assistant Accounts Officers, Auditors, and clerks from the accounts office of a defence establishment in Nashik. They were accused of demanding and accepting 'undue advantage' from personnel for clearing their dues.
According to Pandey, "There were complaints about the officials from the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), Pay & Accounts (ORS) Artillery/Army Aviation Centre (AAC) Nashik, in connivance with other unknown officers posted at Record Office Artillery and AAC Nashik. They were engaged in demanding and receiving undue advantage from army personnel in Nashik to make their payments."
"Cases were registered against them with the CBI, ACB office in Mumbai under sections 61(2) of the BNS 2023, and various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018)," said Pandey.
The officer added, "The bribe received by the officers ranged from Rs 20,000 to Rs 7.5 lakh, depending upon the quantum of payment."
The officer pointed out that after the complaints were received, a Joint Surprise Check was conducted on November 13, 2024, by the team of officers of CBI ACB Mumbai, along with the officers of the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Army), Pune, nominated by CGDA, New Delhi, to verify the allegations of criminal misconduct.
During the checks, the officials found incriminating documents and transactions, as well as conversations between officials and the personnel on the mobile phones of various officers through social media, clearly indicating that they were in receipt of bribes. The CBI also wants to carry out an in-depth investigation into the suspicious transactions.
"We registered eleven FIRs against 15 officers who clearly demanded the undue advantages, shared account numbers for the transfer of amounts, and even gave confirmation of the receipts to the people for clearing their payments. Further investigations will be carried out in due course," the officer said.