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Antrix-Devas deal: CBI raids ex-officer's residence in Bengaluru; registers case

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Antrix-Devas deal

New Delhi: CBI today carried out searches after registering a case to probe an alleged Rs 578-crore “wrongful” gain to a private multi-media company Devas by Antrix, the commercial arm of ISRO.

After registering a case on Monday, CBI sleuths conducted the searches at the premises of Devas Limited as well as the then Executive Director of Antrix K R Sridhara Murthi in Bengaluru, official sources said.

CBI registered a case and submitted an FIR against Murthi, M G Chandrasekhar and R Vishwanathan of Forge Advisors, Devas Multi-media Private Limited and unnamed officials of Antrix, ISRO and Department of Space in a designated court in Bengaluru.

The agency has slapped 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) of Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption Act against them.

The Antrix-Devas deal had seen early exit of G Madhavan Nair as Chairman of ISRO as he was the Chairman of the Governing Council of Antrix when the deal was finalised.

It is alleged that the accused people had entered into a criminal conspiracy and the government officials abused their position by favouring Devas by giving them rights for delivery of videos, multimedia and information services to mobile phones using S-Band through GSAT-6 and GSAT-6A satellites and terrestrial systems in India.

The accused officials “thus caused wrongful gain of Rs 578 crore” to the private firm and its owners, CBI alleged.

CBI said that a deal between Antrix and Devas was fixed in principle in January 2005 for lease of S-Band transponders. However, the then Executive Director of Antrix signed it on behalf of Antrix six months later only after ensuring that Chandrashekhar and Vishwanathan were majority stakeholders in Devas multi-media, which roles they continued till 2008-09.

The change in the board, where a US company represented by Chandrashekar and Vishwanathan had majority stakes, was never verified by Antrix as the agreement had gone in violation of Shankara Committee which had recommended execution of any such agreement with an Indian company only.

CBI had started a preliminary inquiry in April last year on the basis of source information–on its own without any complaint–which has now been converted into a regular case with the registration of FIR.

CBI has alleged that when a proposal seeking budgetary support of Rs 269 crore for approving design, manufacture and launch of GSAT-6/INSAT-4E (PS1) was placed in the 104th meeting of the Space Commission on May 26, 2005, it was not informed that the agreement had already taken place with Devas Multimedia for leading out the S-Band.

“The approval of Space Commission was obtained by keeping it in dark,” CBI alleged in its FIR.

It alleged that on November 17, 2005 a note for the Cabinet was submitted for building the GSAT-6 satellite as earlier approved by the Space Commission.

“Information regarding the agreement between Antrix Corporation Limited and Devas Multimedia Limited was suppressed from the Cabinet and the wrong information regarding utilisation of satellite capacity was given to the Cabinet with respect to multiple expressions of interest though the agreement was signed with Devas Multimedia without any multiple expressions of interest. The proposal was approved by the Cabinet in December 2005,” it alleged.

CBI said in its FIR that after alleged omissions and commissions on the part of accused persons surfaced, the agreement dated January 28, 2005 was annulled by Antrix Corporation in accordance with the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“It is alleged that Devas Multimedia submitted false, wrong and incorrect information claiming that it had the technology and was fully capable of delivering the S-DMB services to get the rights of delivering the same in India through PS1 and PS2 and consequently Devas Multimedia got wrongful gain of Rs 578 crore from various investors from USA, Mauritius, Singapore etc. R Vishwanathan and MG Chandrashekhar are beneficiaries of above said transaction, besides others,” it alleged.

CBI has alleged that Devas with the intent to siphon off the amount from its bank accounts in India got a subsidiary names Devas USA incorporated in USA and a substantial part of the “wrongful” gain was remitted to DevasUSA on the pretext of services, salaries etc.

“It is suspected that the illegal gratification was paid to the accused public servants from the amount remitted from India as motive or reward for taking the aforementioned favour,” the agency alleged.

Enforcement Directorate was probing the financial transactions in the Antrix-Devas deal which included authenticity of a few Mauritius-based entities who had stakes in Devas Multimedia Pvt Ltd.

Antrix had signed a deal with Devas in January 2005 to provide it with crucial S-Band wavelength which is primarily kept for strategic interests of the country.

The spectrum was meant for running digital multimedia service by leasing 90 per cent transponders on two satellites — GSAT-6 and GSAT-6A.

Following complaints of massive irregularities, the then government scrapped the contract in 2010 and ordered an inquiry by the high-powered review committee last February.

A high-level team led by the then CVC Prityush Sinha had found uneven share holding patterns and rise in capital in Devas between the time of its inception in December 2004 and March 2010. The company was established by M/s Forge Advisors, USA with a share capital of Rs 1 lakh.

According to the report, soon after the signing of the agreement, the ordinary share capital had increased to over Rs 5 lakh with 12 shareholders including three members of the FA-USA team who held 60 per cent of the ordinary share capital and the two Mauritius-based entities who held one ordinary share and 50 per cent of the preferential shares each.

It noted as “unusual” the rise in its share capital from Rs 1 lakh to about Rs 18 lakh in 2010 “with no asset base and no Intellectual Property rights or patent in the relevant technology, and which has been making losses since inception, to collect Rs 578 crore as share premium from foreign investors.”

(PTI)

DK Ravi had no family problems; MLA pressured him: Father-in-law

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Bengaluru: Mar 19: Ravi’s father-in-law Hanumantharayappa on Wednesday said that Bangarpet MLA S N Narayanaswamy had pressured Ravi in support of Confident Group, a real estate firm accused of encroaching government land in Kolar district.

Hanumantharayappa said that because of this pressure, he had requested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to transfer Ravi to any post in Bengaluru.

Hanumantharayappa, a Congress leader, was addressing a press meet at his house at Mallathahalli in Nagarabhavi.

“During Ravi’s stint as Kolar DC, there was pressure from politicians. Narayanaswamy was favouring Confident Group and had been putting pressure on Ravi. When Ravi told me about repeated threats and pressures, I requested the chief minister to post my son-in-law in Bengaluru. I have never interfered in his work, except during his transfer from Kolar,” he said.

Hanumantharayappa said that Ravi had no family issues bothering him. “I have been reading some reports that my daughter was not ready to live with Ravi’s parents. I would like to clarify that all these reports are false. In fact, my daughter wanted to move to the apartment since the government-allotted quarters in Vasanthnagar was under renovation. My daughter wanted to move into the apartment along with Ravi’s parents. During the weekend, Ravi had spoken to the engineer in charge of renovation work of the quarters and told him that he would visit the house along with my daughter for inspection,” Hanumantharayappa said.

Asked about the statement by Home Minister K J George that the suicide was due to some personal problem, Hanumantharayappa said Ravi was not the one who would commit suicide.

“On Monday morning, Ravi was normal. He received a call from Kalaburagi regarding work and he told the caller to meet him on Tuesday to discuss the issue. If it turns out to be true that Ravi committed suicide owing to personal reasons, I feel he has betrayed his parents, his wife and his in-laws,” Hanumantharayappa said.

Asked about the reports that Ravi had made the last call to an IAS officer, Hanumantharayappa said a detailed probe would reveal all aspects.

“His phone call record details will throw up all details. I demand a thorough investigation into the case by CBI or any such agency. He would have left a note if he had committed suicide. The police in our presence searched for the suicide note in his pockets and purse, however nothing was found. I had even called Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Rohini Katoch Sepat on Wednesday morning to know if any note was found during the investigation. She said the probe has been handed over to CID. Even if he faced any threats with his present assignment, probe will reveal everything,” he said.

(Agencies)

DK Ravi's parents threaten to end life if CBI probe is not ordered

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Bengaluru: Kariappa and Gowramma couple, the grieving parents of deceased IAS officer DK Ravi staged a protest outside Vidhana Soudha demanding CBI probe into the mysterious death of their son.

Calling Ravi the ‘son of this country’, the parents of Ravi said that if an impartial probe is not conducted into the case then they would end their life.

The grieving parents also expressed their anguish over certain section of people floating rumours about their son and opined that such rumours are being floated only to malign the reputation Ravi had earned for himself over the years.

They have further demanded the government to appoint Ravi’s wife Kusuma Ravi to his post.

The Association of the IAS officers too have demanded a CBI probe into the case.

(Agencies)

DK Ravi death case: BJP demands suspension of M N Reddi

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Bangalore City Police Commissioner, M N Reddi. File Photo.

Bangalore City Police Commissioner, M N Reddi. File Photo.

Bengaluru: The opposition party at the state is up in arms against City Police Commissioner M N Reddi for his statement that Ravi had committed suicide.

Leader of Opposition in the Council K S Eshwarappa has questioned the Commissioner as to how he could arrive at the conclusion even before the post mortem or forensic examination reports were out.

Demanding the resignation of Reddi or suspension of the top cop, Eshwarappa wondered if Reddi was making the statement at the government’s behest and further questioned if a murder was being hushed up.

The Commissioner came under attack by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar and BJP leader R Ashok.

However, Congress leaders in the Council and in the Assembly came to the rescue of Reddi stating that the Commissioner had clearly said that ‘Prima facie’ it appears to be a suicide and did not conclude that it was a case of suicide.

(Agencies)

DK Ravi's death: Officer was planning raids on big developers, says activist

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Bengaluru: With tension gripping Karnataka’s capital following the death of IAS officer DK Ravi, social activist and whistleblower Ganesh S Koundiny has claimed that DK Ravi was planning raids on some big developers to unearth commercial tax evasion.

Ravi, after taking over as Additional Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Enforcement) in October, had recovered an income tax of Rs 400 crore from housing societies.

“I had a conversation with Ravi on Thursday and Friday, if I remember. He told me that he had conducted raids on some developers and housing societies and recovered Rs 400 crore as income tax … Ravi was looking at raiding some big developers in Bangalore and he wanted to recover the evasion of taxes,” Koudinhy told reporters in Bengaluru.

The activist said that the deceased officer was eager to meet him to get some documentary evidence in his possession so they both could work together to unearth commercial tax violations.

“Since Ravi wanted some documents from me, he got in touch with me so that we both could work together to see that commercial tax violation could be unearthed,” he added.

Koundiny also said he was planning to meet Ravi in a couple days. “Ravi told me to meet this week and I was contemplating to meet him today or tomorrow, but before that this incident happened,” he added.

He flayed the government for “concluding” in the Assembly that it was a suicide even before the investigation commenced. “What is annoying is that even before the investigation has commenced, the government has taken a stand that it is a suicide,” he said.

The 35-year-old IAS officer, who had taken on the sand mafia known in Kolar district of Karnataka was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his room at his official flat here yesterday.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner MN Reddi said that forensically, medically and examination of the situation all point to “prima facie understanding of a suicide.”

Earlier, anger spilled on to the streets of Karnataka on Tuesday as sea of crowd gathered outside Ravi’s residence to pay tributes and accompany the IAS officer’s body on his final journey.

Meanwhile, minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said that the death of IAS officer DK Ravi is a serious matter, but added that the Central Government will not intervene at this stage. “This is a serious issue because it involves a senior official. We have raised the issue in the house also,” said Rijiju. “It is difficult for the Central Government to intervene in the functioning of the State Government because this case is directly related to them,” he added.

Condoling the death of Ravi, an upright IAS officer who had taken on the sand mafia, Kejriwal also pledged to continue his fight against corruption. “IAS officer D K Ravi, who took on Mafia, found dead. Heart felt condolences 2 his family.

“Let’s pledge to continue his fight against corruption,” he tweeted.

(Agencies)

Karnataka: Janardhan Poojary urges CBI inquiry into D K Ravi death

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Mangaluru: In the wake of state-wide protests after the sudden death of IAS officer D K Ravi in Bengaluru on Monday, former union minister B Janardhan Poojary urged the Chief Minister of Karnataka to conduct a CBI enquiry in the case.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, he said that no person was willing to believe that such a bold and straightforward IAS officer had hung himself. The chief minister should set an example to the entire country by ordering a CBI inquiry in the death of IAS officer D K Ravi and send a message that the government will protect its officers. He should order a CBI probe to give the message that no criminal would go unpunished. There should be a thorough investigation in this regard, he urged.

The Centre also has a responsibility as much as the state government in this regard. There are only a handful of worthy officers in the state and country. Is it possible for such a brave IAS officer who took on the sand mafia and land mafia tax evaders, to have committed a suicide? Hence, there should be a thorough probe in his death, he reiterated, adding that even if the death was proved a suicide, there was a law that sought punishment for abetment to suicide.

Mr Poojary also urged that the media should highlight the issue to the extent that the central government took cognizance of the mysterious death since the deceased IAS officer had been selected and appointed by the Centre.

No culprit involved in his death, powerful or otherwise, should be allowed to go unpunished. Corruption should be tackled at all costs, he urged, stating that the young IAS officer had been loved and respected by all for his sincere work and sense of justice towards the common man and the poor.

He advised activists and protestors to conduct peaceful protests against the death of the young officer so that the law and order would not be disrupted in the state.

(Agencies)

Corporate espionage case: CBI raids eight places, three arrested

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petroleum-L-N

New Delhi: The CBI on Thursday raided eight places, including offices of various ministries and private establishments, in New Delhi and Mumbai in another case of leakage of confidential government documents and arrested three people, an official said.

A Central Bureau of Investigation official said they conducted raids at six places in New Delhi and two in Mumbai in the leakage of documents related to foreign investments in the finance and commerce ministries.

Clarifying that it was a case separate from the espionage case being probed by Delhi Police, the official said the stolen documents were being sold for consideration by certain government officials to Mumbai-based chartered accountant (CA) Khemchandra Gandhi.

“The CA along with two other people have been detained. The CA used to pass the stolen documents to various corporate houses. We have recovered Rs.60 lakh from the office and house of the the CA,” said the official.

The three people were later arrested.

Reports said that apart from cash, the CBI also recovered several documents.

Delhi Police has so far arrested 16 people in connection with two separate FIRs in the leakage of government documents related to the ministries of petroleum, coal and power.

These documents were then supplied to the corporate companies to benefit them, police said.

(IANS)

CBI court summons Manmohan Singh in coal corruption case

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New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, ex-coal secretary P C Parakh and three others were today summoned as accused by a special court in a coal scam case pertaining to allocation of Talabira-II coal block in Odisha in 2005 and asked to appear before it on April 8.

Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar summoned the six accused on April 8 for the alleged offences punishable under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent) of the IPC and under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).

Besides these three, the court also summoned M/s Hindalco, its officials Shubhendu Amitabh and D Bhattacharya as accused in the case.

If convicted, the accused are liable to be sentenced for a maximum of life imprisonment.

The case pertains to allocation of Talabira II coal block in Odisha to M/s Hindalco in 2005, when the then Prime Minister Singh was holding the coal portfolio.

CBI, in its FIR, had named Parakh, Birla, M/s Hindalco Industries Ltd and other unknown persons for alleged offences under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and under provisions of the PCA.

However, the agency had later on filed a closure report in the court, which had refused to accept it.

The court, in its December 16 last year order, had directed CBI to examine former Prime Minister Singh and some top officials of then Prime Minister Office (PMO), including Singh’s then Principal Secretary T K A Nair and then private secretary B V R Subramanyam.

Parakh and Hindalco have denied any wrongdoing.

Pronouncing the order, the judge said, “I am taking cognisance of offences under Sections 120B, 409 of the IPC and under Sections 13(1)(c) and 13(1)(d)(3) of PCA against six accused, M/s Hindalco, Shubhendu Amitabh, D Bhattacharya, Kumar Mangalam Birla, P C Parakh and Dr Manmohan Singh.”

Section 13(1)(c) of PCA relates to a public servant dishonestly misappropriating property entrusted to him or allowing any other person to do so.

Section 13(1)(d)(3) relates to a public servant obtaining any pecuniary advantage for any person without any public interest.

(PTI)

Underworld element Bannanje Raja arrested in Morocco: Sources

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Bannanje Raja

Bengaluru: Notorious underworld element Bannanje Raja has been arrested in Morocco, said sources.

Sources claimed that Raja was arrested in Casablanca on Tuesday February 10 by a special investigative team of India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Raja, who was understood to have been operating out of Morocco, was nabbed based on inputs by Karnataka police, it is learnt.

He is wanted in a number of cases, including murders, extortions, loot, kidnapping and so on in various places, particularly Mangaluru and Bengaluru. A red corner notice too had been issued against him, and the state police had taken the help of CBI to trace him. He was also known to have fled to Dubai and arrested from there in 2009.

Reports about him hiding in Morocco came to light after a hotelier refused to give into extortion threats and filed a complaint. During investigation, the intelligence agency officials learnt that he had gone underground in Morocco and taken the name of ‘Hegde’.

It is learnt that Raja is not involved in any crimes within Morocco. The local Moroccan police have given 48 hours to submit information about the cases registered against Raja, sources said. The Bengaluru police are expected to leave for Morocco soon.

(Agencies)

AAP demands SIT to probe funding of major parties

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File Photo

File Photo

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday said it will ask the leadership of BJP and Congress to agree for a probe by a Supreme Court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the funding of all the three major parties in the Delhi polls.

The party said it will write to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and BJP President Amit Shah seeking their consent for the investigation, to bring transparency in the funding of political parties.

“AAP will write letters to BJP and Congress presidents requesting to cooperate in SIT probe about their fundings for clean politics,” senior AAP leader Ashutosh said in a tweet.

The party said that a five-member delegation of AAP will go to Supreme Court to request for the setting up of an SIT to probe the funding of the three political parties.

“Team of five leaders — Ashutosh, Kumar Vishwas. Sanjay singh, Ashish Khetan And Yogendra yadav will reach SC BY 1030 to request SIT PROBE (sic),” he tweeted.

“We are going to SUPREME COURT to hand over a letter to request to create an SIT to investigate the fundings of BJP, Congress and AAP,” he wrote on the micro-blogging site.

The AAP’s move came a day after a breakaway group of the party accused it of receiving Rs 2 crore from “dubious” companies.

Asserting that it adopted “total transparency” in its funding, AAP’s Yogendra Yadav in a late evening press conference on Monday accused BJP of attempting to influence the voters ahead of the February 7 polls by bringing out false allegations.

He was responding to allegations by AAP Volunteer Action Manch (AVAM), a breakaway group of the Aam Aadmi Party, which accused the Kejriwal-led party of receiving Rs 2 crore last year through four “dubious” companies.

Mr. Yadav said “strangely instead of inquiring against AAP, the BJP ministers are today making allegations even after sitting on the files for eight months.”

The AAP also challenged the government to probe the allegations by any central investigating agency including the CBI and Enforcement Directorate.

(PTI)

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