New Delhi, Dec 23 : The CBI has registered a corruption and bribery case against NBCC CMD Anoop Kumar Mittal for ensuring that a portion of a Rs 2,149.93 crore contract awarded to Mumbai-based Shapoorji Pallonji and Co (P) Ltd for redeveloping the ITPO Complex in the Pragati Maidan here be sub-contracted to another firm.
Mittal is accused of "strongly directing" his junior to ensure that a portion of the contract awarded to Shapoorji Pallonji by NBCC, a government enterprise under the Ministry of Urban Development, be given to another Mumbai-based firm, Capacite Structures Ltd.
Apart from Mittal, public servant Pradeep Kumar Mishra, Managing Director of Capacite Structures Sanjay Kulkarni and two mediators -- namely Rishabh Agrawal and Aakash Deep Chouhan -- have also been booked under charges of bribery, criminal conspiracy under the the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act.
The FIR, registered on Friday, said that NBCC had awarded the Rs 2,149.93 crore contract to Shapoorji Pallonji for redeveloping of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) complex into an integrated exhibition-cum-convention centre.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed the case following a complaint.
The FIR said that Kulkarni approached Mishra through mediator Agrawal to get the deal in his favour.
Mishra demanded a "Royal Enfield Bullet" as part of the illegal gratification and a meeting was held regarding that on December 15 between Kulkarni, a representative of Shapoorji Pallonji, Sanjay Kharkhnis, and some senior-level NBCC officers, said the FIR.
"Subsequently, Mittal strongly directed NBCC Executive Director Rakesh Gupta to settle this matter in favour of Kulkarni's company Capacite Structures.
Mittal later assured if the work was not given to Kulkarni's company, it would not be given to anyone."
Sources revealed that in furtherance of the conspiracy, the Bullet motorcycle is likely to be delivered shortly by Kulkarni's employee Akash Deep Chouhan to public servant Mishra, the FIR said.
The FIR, however, does not make it clear whether the sub-contract was actually awarded.
Interetingly, Shapoorji Pallonji has released full page advertisments in many dailies on Saturday thanking "NBCC and ITPO for giving us an opportunity to engineer and construct this incredible structure, which will be the pride of the nation".
--IANS
rak/him/vm.
Source: IANS
