CBI arrests 5 agri officials for graft

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Follow us:WhatsappFacebookTwitterTelegram.cls-1{fill:#4d4d4d;}.cls-2{fill:#fff;}Google NewsThe CBI has arrested five officials of the Plant Quarantine Organisation of India, under the Union Ministry of Agriculture, in Meenambakkam for allegedly taking bribes to clear consignments imported into India.The officials, whose duty was to prevent the entry, establishment and spread of exotic pests in India as per the provisions of The Destructive Insects & Pests Act, 1914, were accused of taking bribes to clear consignments without any proper checks.The five accused — Assistant Plant Protection officers K T Suresh and R K Jain, Assistant Director Gnanasambandam, Deputy Director (II) Dr Elangovan and Deputy Director Jasbir Singh — were produced before a CBI court on Wednesday and remanded to CBI custody till September 12.The arrests followed a complaint from one Srivatsan of a Kerala-based company, National Roof Garden, which was importing Thai orchids and saplings on August 7. The complaint said that authorities were dema-nding a bribe of `2,000 for a certificate from the Regional Plant Quarantine Station, which is mandatory for the import of exotic species.Sources said that a trap was laid and Suresh was caught red-handed.The investigating agency also seized `1 lakh from the X-ray room, which was alleged to be the bribe amount collected during the day, apart from another `34,000 from Suresh’s pockets.It was revealed that per month, `12 to `15 lakh was collected as bribes.Sources said that raids at Suresh’s house yielded `1.46 lakh, which was alleged to be the bribe amount collected over the last two days. Suresh’s SBI a/c at Meenambakkam, which had a balance of `3 lakh, was frozen.During questioning, Sur-esh named the other four officials and said that they were also involved, following which CBI conducted a detailed inquiry.Preliminary inquiries have revealed that Dr Ilangovan has two properties in Chennai, one worth `50 lakh and another `40 lakh. Besides, he also had `3 lakh deposited in the bank.Similarly, Gnanasambandam has two properties wo-rth `72 lakh. Investigations also revealed that Jasbir, a native of Uttar Pradesh has `4 lakh in fixed deposits, besides some LIC policies in his native place Saharanpur.first published:August 30, 2012, 09:20 ISTlast updated:August 30, 2012, 09:20 IST
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The CBI has arrested five officials of the Plant Quarantine Organisation of India, under the Union Ministry of Agriculture, in Meenambakkam for allegedly taking bribes to clear consignments imported into India.

The officials, whose duty was to prevent the entry, establishment and spread of exotic pests in India as per the provisions of The Destructive Insects & Pests Act, 1914, were accused of taking bribes to clear consignments without any proper checks.

The five accused — Assistant Plant Protection officers K T Suresh and R K Jain, Assistant Director Gnanasambandam, Deputy Director (II) Dr Elangovan and Deputy Director Jasbir Singh — were produced before a CBI court on Wednesday and remanded to CBI custody till September 12.

The arrests followed a complaint from one Srivatsan of a Kerala-based company, National Roof Garden, which was importing Thai orchids and saplings on August 7. The complaint said that authorities were dema-nding a bribe of `2,000 for a certificate from the Regional Plant Quarantine Station, which is mandatory for the import of exotic species.

Sources said that a trap was laid and Suresh was caught red-handed.

The investigating agency also seized `1 lakh from the X-ray room, which was alleged to be the bribe amount collected during the day, apart from another `34,000 from Suresh’s pockets.

It was revealed that per month, `12 to `15 lakh was collected as bribes.

Sources said that raids at Suresh’s house yielded `1.46 lakh, which was alleged to be the bribe amount collected over the last two days. Suresh’s SBI a/c at Meenambakkam, which had a balance of `3 lakh, was frozen.

During questioning, Sur-esh named the other four officials and said that they were also involved, following which CBI conducted a detailed inquiry.

Preliminary inquiries have revealed that Dr Ilangovan has two properties in Chennai, one worth `50 lakh and another `40 lakh. Besides, he also had `3 lakh deposited in the bank.

Similarly, Gnanasambandam has two properties wo-rth `72 lakh. Investigations also revealed that Jasbir, a native of Uttar Pradesh has `4 lakh in fixed deposits, besides some LIC policies in his native place Saharanpur.