New Delhi: The CBI has registered a corruption case against former Heavy Engineering Corporation Ltd (HECL) chairman and managing director Avijit Ghosh, officials said on Monday.
Ghosh has been accused of alleged irregularities in setting up a center of excellence for skill development in collaboration with CNIITMASH, a Russian joint stock company, they said.
The agency has alleged that Ghosh and others entered into a criminal conspiracy with CNIITMASH during 2015-19 with the intention of cheating the public exchequer through floating and manipulated expressions of interest.
The CBI, which registered an FIR under IPC section of criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act after a year-long preliminary investigation, said the Center had launched a scheme in November 2014 with the aim of boosting the Indian economy making the Indian Capital Goods Sector globally competitive.
Under the plan, the government had to facilitate grants to industries that would form a special purpose vehicle (SPV), such as non-profit companies, societies and trusts for setting up the Common Engineering Facility Center (CEFC), officials said. saying.
As per the plan, the Center was to provide a one-time grant of up to 80 per cent of the project cost capped at Rs 48.96 crore for two CEFCs, while the SPV was to invest the remaining 20 per cent. the FIR said.
The HECL has floated an Expression of Interest (EOI) to attract internationally renowned companies and research institutes for collaboration and technology transfer so that most of the equipment can be manufactured and commissioned locally by it.
The CBI alleged that Ghosh sent an "outdated" proposal to the Ministry of Heavy Industries to set up a center of excellence for skill development with a consultation fee of Rs 30 crore to CNIITMASH to be paid out of a grant to train 1,350 engineers in various specialties over a three-year period.
It turned out that only a group of 86 engineers received training and payment of
16 crores were made to CNIITMASH.
The CBI's preliminary investigation pointed out a number of irregularities in the process such as non-transparent and biased EOI process, changes made without the approval of the Board or the ministry and payments made by submitting false information and providing fake completion certificates, it said. the FIR.
"The basis of the negotiation is also skewed in terms of how the agreed price was arrived at. There was a general lack of supervision and violation of established rules and regulations. Another aspect on the part of the chosen agency is the
fact that they did not have the technology in a steel plant and their own elements, but they stated the same thing in March 2015," he alleged.
Ghosh has been accused of alleged irregularities in setting up a center of excellence for skill development in collaboration with CNIITMASH, a Russian joint stock company, they said.
The agency has alleged that Ghosh and others entered into a criminal conspiracy with CNIITMASH during 2015-19 with the intention of cheating the public exchequer through floating and manipulated expressions of interest.
The CBI, which registered an FIR under IPC section of criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act after a year-long preliminary investigation, said the Center had launched a scheme in November 2014 with the aim of boosting the Indian economy making the Indian Capital Goods Sector globally competitive.
Under the plan, the government had to facilitate grants to industries that would form a special purpose vehicle (SPV), such as non-profit companies, societies and trusts for setting up the Common Engineering Facility Center (CEFC), officials said. saying.
As per the plan, the Center was to provide a one-time grant of up to 80 per cent of the project cost capped at Rs 48.96 crore for two CEFCs, while the SPV was to invest the remaining 20 per cent. the FIR said.
The HECL has floated an Expression of Interest (EOI) to attract internationally renowned companies and research institutes for collaboration and technology transfer so that most of the equipment can be manufactured and commissioned locally by it.
The CBI alleged that Ghosh sent an "outdated" proposal to the Ministry of Heavy Industries to set up a center of excellence for skill development with a consultation fee of Rs 30 crore to CNIITMASH to be paid out of a grant to train 1,350 engineers in various specialties over a three-year period.
It turned out that only a group of 86 engineers received training and payment of
16 crores were made to CNIITMASH.
The CBI's preliminary investigation pointed out a number of irregularities in the process such as non-transparent and biased EOI process, changes made without the approval of the Board or the ministry and payments made by submitting false information and providing fake completion certificates, it said. the FIR.
"The basis of the negotiation is also skewed in terms of how the agreed price was arrived at. There was a general lack of supervision and violation of established rules and regulations. Another aspect on the part of the chosen agency is the
fact that they did not have the technology in a steel plant and their own elements, but they stated the same thing in March 2015," he alleged.
