Two more arrested by CBI in Pragati Maidan revamp case

The CBI has arrested two more persons in connection with alleged corruption in the Rs 2,150 crore re-development project of ITPO Complex at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, in which NBCC chairman-cum-managing director Anoop Mittal has been made an accused, agency sources said today.

The CBI arrested Sanjay Kulkarni, managing director of Capacite Structures, and Ghaziabad-based middleman Rishabh Agrawal in connection with the corruption case, taking the total number of people arrested to four, the sources said.

The agency booked Mittal, Kulkarni, Agrawal, public servant Pradeep Mishra and the alleged bribe delivery person, Akashdeep Chouhan, in the case on December 22.

It alleged in the FIR that the contract to redevelop the prime land at Pragati Maidan was awarded to Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Pvt. Ltd. and Shapoorji Pallonji Qatar WLL for Rs 2,149.93 crore by NBCC, and Mumbai-based Capacite Structures was trying to get that work from Shapoorji Pallonji on a subcontract.

Kulkarni had approached Agrawal, the middleman, having good contacts with public servants for getting the subcontract in favour of the company, it alleged.

The FIR alleged Agrawal approached Pradeep Kumar Mishra, a public servant in an intelligence agency who was on deputation and was also close to certain senior functionaries of NBCC Ltd.

Under the influence of Mishra, Mittal "strlongly directed" the executive director of NBCC to settle the matter in favour of Capacite Structures, it alleged.

The CBI said infurtherance of the conspiracy, a meeting was held on December 15, 2017, between Kulkarni, representative of Shapoorji Pallonji, including Sanjay Kharkhanis and senior officials of NBCC.

After the meeting, Mittal assured Kulkarni and Mishra about getting work from Shapoorji Pallonji and that if Capacite Structure does not get the work, he would "ensure that it would not be given to any one else", the FIR alleged.

The agency arrested Mishra, while he was allegedly receiving the promised bike as illegal gratification from Akashdeep Chouhan, staff of Kulkarni, the sources said.