The Enforcement Directorate had directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to take stringent action against the bureaucrats who are involved in cases of graft. The ED in its complaint had asked the UP police to investigate irregularities by a Noida based company ‘Prizm Holography Security Films Private limited’ owned by Vidhu Gupta for supplying duplicate holograms to the liquor syndicate allegedly being operated in Chhattisgarh. The case has been filed in the Kasna police station under Greater Noida district on July 30.
Based on a complaint of the Raipur based deputy director of the ED the UP police on Sunday booked Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Anil Tuteja, Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officer and a special secretary in the excise department, Arunpati Tripathi, IAS and excise commissioner Niranjan Das, a businessman Vidhu Gupta along with Anwar Dhebar, elder brother of the Raipur Mayor and congress leader Aijaj Dhebar.
As per the details of the (First Information report ) FIR seen by the Organiser the ED in its complaint stated that investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act has revealed that one company namely M/s Prizm Holography Security Films Private limited based at Noida was illegally granted a tender to supply Holograms to the Excise department of Chhattisgarh.
The company was not eligible to participate in the tender process but in connivance with the company’s owner the senior officials of the state of Chhattisgarh namely Arun Pati Tripathi ITS (Special Secretary Excise), Niranjan Das (Excise Commissioner), Anil Tuteja IAS modified the tender condition and illegally allotted the tender to the M/s Prizm Holography Security Films Private limited Noida.
As a quid pro quo they took commission of 8 paisa per hologram and also took a commitment to supply unaccounted duplicate holograms to carry out a sinister crime of selling illegal country liquor bottles from state run shops in Chhattisgarh. The hologram was in fact a safety feature to ensure that authenticated liquor is sold in the state. But the action of M/s Prizm Holography in manufacturing duplicate Holograms in Noida, allowed the Liquor syndicate to use the very same safety feature to fool the gullible general customers.
The complaint further stated that the ED investigation has revealed that tender was allotted to this company as part of the criminal conspiracy and M/s Prizm Holography Security Films Private limited was granted the tender in order to ensure smooth supply of duplicate holograms to the liquor syndicate. The Holograms were made at the Noida factory, and then transported to Chhattisgarh as per the instructions from the Liquor syndicate leaders. The syndicate as part of the arrangement allotted the contract of supplying 80 crore holograms in 5 years at a highly inflated price to M/s Prizm Holography Security Films Private limited in return for on-demand supply of duplicate holograms.
The ED complaint also revealed that during the course of investigation, Vidhu Gupta the owner of the M/s Prizm Holography Security Films Private limited had admitted that both the original and duplicate holograms were manufactured in their Noida factory premises. Based on the complaint an FIR under section 120-B/420/468/471/473 and 484 of the Indian penal code has been lodged against the accused.
It is to be noted that earlier ED had also attached as many as 119 immovable assets worth Rs 121.87 cr of Anwar Dhebar, Anil Tuteja, Arunpati Tripathi and others in connection with the multi-crore liquor scam of Chhattisgarh on May 22 this year. The total assets attached or seized so far in the alleged scam in the state stands at approx 180 cr, informed the central agency in a tweet.
As per its investigation so far, the agency had claimed to unearth a Rs 2000 cr liquor scam in the state being operated by a cartel composed of Bureaucrats, private liquor suppliers, government officials and persons with heavy political backing. On 6th of May ED had arrested Anwar Dhebar and claimed that Anwar was the main kingpin on the ground in which around Rs 2000 cr was illegally generated by the criminal syndicate.
Other than Anwar, ED had also arrested hotel promoter Nitish Purohit and liquor trader Triloki Singh Dhillon alias Pappu Dhillon alongside seizing proceeds of crime worth Rs 28 cr. The central agency in its submission before the court had alleged that Purohit, promoter of a Raipur based Giriraj hotel was well aware of the illegal operations of Anwar Dhebar and had willingly assisted him in the movements of proceeds of Crime to IAS Anil Tuteja, another kingpin of the scam along with Anwar.
Meanwhile Narayan Chandel, leader of opposition in Chhattisgarh assembly in a tweet while sharing the copy of the FIR, has asked for the resignation of the Chhattisgarh Chief minister (CM) Bhupesh Baghel. “A big scam was being operated right under the nose of the Chief minister in which businessmen and officials close to CM are involved, CM sir you should tender your resignation on moral grounds”, twitted Narayan Chandel.
It is to be noted that the earlier Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel had slammed the ED action in the state and said that the federal agency is acting like traffic police and randomly issuing notices to people at its whim. Meanwhile hearing on a petition filed by one of the accused in the case the apex court had stayed the ED probe into the matter and said that there should be no coercive action against the officers and if the agency wants to resume action they have to seek permission of the court.
On the other hand the unearthing of the alleged multi-crore scam by ED, which also involved the state officials and elder brother of the senior congress leader has led the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party to go its guns blazing on the Baghel led government in the poll bound state.
