HC moved for CBI probe into bribery charges involving CTS

The Madras High Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government on a PIL seeking a CBI probe into alleged payment of bribery by US-based Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS) to government officials in India.

A bench comprising justices M.Sathyanarayanan and R Hemalatha issued notice returnable by March 9 on the public interest litigation petition by advocate M L Ravi, also president of "Makkal Sakthi Katchi.

Referring to proceedings of the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) of the United States of America against the company over the bribery issue last year, the bench said the details were in public domain and therefore it was open to the CBI and the state Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption to initiate an appropriate inquiry without any complaint.

It noted that the petitioner had also lodged specific complaints over the matter on September 10 and November 28 last year with the authorities.

The SEC had directed former Cognizant chief operating officer Sridhar Thiruvengadam to pay a civil penalty of USD 50,000 (over Rs 35 lakh) for authorising payment of USD 2 million bribe on behalf of the company to a government official.

The official had demanded the bribe to secure the issuance of a planning permit that was necessary for the construction of a commercial office facility here.

According to the petitioner, the CTS entered into a contract with Larsen and Toubro Limited for constructionand operation of commercial operation buildings referred at Siruseri here and Commercial operation building at Pune in Maharashtra.

He alleged that the company had authorised L&T to pay cores of rupees in bribe to officials for getting planning permit from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and for environmental clearances for the Pune project and the amount was reimbursed over three years from 2014.

The petitioner said he had lodged complaints seeking registration of case and prosecution of erring officials under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the IPC, but no action was initiated.

As the matter involved two states and the findings of a foreign country, a CBI investigation was required, he added.