CBI books Renubala, five other MPs in LTC scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked six sitting and former Rajya Sabha MPs including the Biju Janata Dal's (BJD's) former MP Renubala Pradhan for alleged cheating and forgery in the Leave Travel & Concession (LTC) scam.

Pradhan, however, pleaded innocence in the matter.

"I am utterly surprised to know from the media about the case registered against me by the CBI", Pradhan said here. Pradhan had got elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2008 and her six-year tenure ended in April, 2014. She was the former chairman of Zilla Parishad in south Odisha's Ganjam district.

The accused have been booked under Section 420 and 13 (1) D.
 

Pradhan is the only former member of the upper house booked by the central investigation agency in the scam. CBI officials interrogated her at her residence in Berhampur today. The sleuths also raided one of her relatives' house at Bhubaneswar.

The irregularities in LTC claims were committed with an intention to maximize personal benefit by violating the laid-down norms, sources alleged.

This irregularities were perpetrated in collusion with the travel agents.

"As far as my knowledge goes, I had not committed any such offence during my tenure", she said. Pradhan, however, said she would go to New Delhi soon to know about the veracity of the case. The former MP said she would extend full cooperation to the CBI to probe the matter.

Two days ago, the CBI officials had raided a printing press in the town, where fake bills for the LTC were being produced.

They had also seized some computer hard discs, master printing plates and some other documents from the printing press. The bills were allegedly used by some of the defence personnel to get LTC claims. The CBI is probing the LTC scam by the defence personnel in Port Blair.

Several persons from Gopalpur, near here, were working in the defence sector in Port Blair.