CBI registers corruption case against TMC's Babul Supriyo's former staff

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against Sushanta Mallick, the staff of then Minister of State Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Babul Supriyo, along with top executives of Engineering Projects (India) Ltd (EPIL) in an alleged corruption case.

The FIR was registered in the anti-corruption branch of CBI on Saturday in Delhi. Babul Supriyo was the Heavy Industries Minister from July 2016 to May 2019.

A few months back, he quit Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and joined Trinamool Congress. CBI has alleged that the accused demanded and accepted bribes for providing favour for the tenders awarded and being awarded by EPIL during the period 2016-2017 under the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.

On March 12, 2021, a complaint was received and on verification, it was revealed that SPS Bakshi, the then CMD of Engineering Projects India Limited (EPIL), Harcharan Pal, the then Executive Director, EPIL, Paritosh Kumar Praveen, the then Manager, EPIL, RS Tyagi, the then DGM (on contract), EPIL conspired and demanded Rs 50 lakh from Ashutosh Bandyopadhyay, for providing favour for the tenders awarded and being awarded by EPIL during the period 2016-2017, the FIR read.

On further verification, it was found that out of said amount Rs 50 Lacs, Rs 40 Lacs were to be given to SPS Bakshi, the then CMD, EPIL and Rs 10 lakh were to be given to Harcharan Pal, the then Executive Director(Contracts) and Paritosh Kumar Praveen, the then Manager in EPIL.

"SPS Bakshi had got conveyed to Ashutosh Bandyopadhyay through RS Tyagi, the then DGM (contractual basis) that out of the said bribe amount of Rs 40 lakh, Rs 5 lakh be transferred into the bank account of Sushanta Mallick," FIR read further.

Accordingly, Ashutosh Bandhopadhayay transferred Rs 5 lakh to the bank account of Sushanta Mallick in December 2016.

All above-mentioned persons hatched a criminal conspiracy to provide undue favour to Ashutosh Bandopadhayay in obtaining the tender of EPIL, in lieu of illegal gratification.