Nalco case: Srivastavas, others to face 5 days of CBI grilling

A Delhi court today allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to quiz Nalco Chairman and Managing Director Abhay Kumar Srivastava, his wife and two others, arrested in an alleged bribery case, in its custody for five days.

CBI had arrested four of them and recovered about 10 kg of gold bricks and jewellery, valued at around Rs 2.13 crore, besides Rs 30 lakh in cash from their possession, yesterday.

Special CBI Judge O P Saini sent Srivastava, his wife Chandani, alleged middleman Bhushan Lal Bajaj and his wife Anita Bajaj to CBI custody till March 3, saying the allegations were “very serious” and being the CMD of Nalco, he held a “very high ranking post”.

“Accused A K Srivastava is holding a very high post as the CMD of Nalco. In these circumstances, the case is required to be thoroughly investigated and sustained interrogation of the accused people is required for that.

“Accordingly, I am satisfied that the prayer for police custody of the accused is justified,” the judge said.

CBI submitted that B L Bajaj had acted as a middlemen to obtain official favour for Bhatia Group of Companies from Srivastava and, for that, he had collected huge illegal gratification from G S Bhatia, CMD of Bhatia Group of Companies, on behalf of the Nalco CMD.

CBI further said Bajaj was working as a conduit between coal suppliers and Srivastava.

CBI submitted that Bajaj was closely associated with Bhatia and used three phone numbers to talk to him.

Bhatia Group of Companies is engaged in trading of imported and indigenous coal with various private companies and PSUs through its companies M/s Bhatia International Ltd and Bhatia Coal Sales Ltd located in Indore.

CBI said Srivastava had instructed Bajaj to convert the bribe received from Bhatia Group of Companies into gold and to deliver it to him.

The probe agency submitted Bajaj and Srivastava were close friends.

Regarding the role of wives of both the accused, CBI said Srivastava and Bajaj decided to deposit the gold through them in either of the lockers maintained at Shahjahan Road branch of Bank of Maharashtra or Mayur Vihar Phase-1 branch of Bank of India.

It said the bribe amount was converted into gold bricks that were collected by Anita and handed over to Chandani.

It said gold worth Rs 2.13 core and Rs 9.5 lakh in cash were recovered from locker number 127 of Bank of Maharashtra, while Rs 15 lakh was found from the Bank of India locker.

CBI also found Rs 5 lakh in cash in Chandani’s bag that she was carrying when she and Anita were intercepted by CBI sleuths.

Both were arrested when they came out of Bank of Maharashtra after depositing the gold in their locker.

“Documents pertaining to huge investment in movable and immovable properties were unearthed and the same are under scrutiny,” CBI said in its remand application, seeking seven days custodial interrogation of the accused.

Terming the accused as “habitual corrupt”, the agency said Chandani impersonated herself as Anita Bajaj by using PAN card, Voter I-card in her (Anita’s) name with her own photograph to obtain and operate the locker, as well as the account in Bank of Maharashtra, which was in the name of Anita.

The defence counsel for the accused, however, opposed CBI’s plea, saying the investigation was complete and searches had already been conducted by CBI.

They said their clients were ready to cooperate with CBI in the probe and thus custodial interrogation was not required.

CBI, meanwhile, submitted that they had to unearth the entire conspiracy and also ascertain the files relating to the contract for which the bribe was given to Srivastava.

The court ordered that the accused be medically examined every 48 hours. It also allowed family members and counsel to meet them during their custodial interrogation.