CBI files FIR against senior NTPC official in corruption case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an FIR against a senior National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) official in connection with a corruption case.

NTPC Director (Finance) Kulamani Biswal was booked on Thursday under section of 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 11 and 12 of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.

Besides Biswal, the agency also booked few other people including BGR Mining and Infra Private Limited director Rohit Reddy Bathina and Prabhat Kumar and unknown persons.

Biswal, who is on the Board of Directors of the NTPC Limited, had asked Bathina to arrange US dollars equivalent to Rs. 5 lakhs for him for a US trip.

As per the CBI source, Bathina arranged the cash through Hawala channels and tasked Kumar to deliver the amount to Biswal, who, along with the family, was scheduled to leave for the U.S. on Friday.

According to the FIR, Biswal, who has been dealing with Bathina's firm due to the business transacted between NTPC Limited and BGR Mining and Infra Private Limited, being a public servant, attempted to obtain for himself valuable things without any consideration from the firm.

Reportedly, Kumar has been arrested and taken to court, which has remanded him to judicial custody.