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CBI books 2 ex-Army officers in Rs. 46 cr. land scam
Case of criminal conspiracy, criminal misconduct, cheating filed against duo
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case of criminal conspiracy, criminal misconduct and cheating against two retired Army officers, the then General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Command, Pune Circle, Lieutenant General (retired) Nobel Thamburaj, S.R. Nayyar, Defence Estate Officer (retired) and others, in a land scam case in Pune. The accused allegedly caused a pecuniary gain to a private builder to the tune of Rs. 46 crore.
The Ministry of Defence had forwarded the case to the CBI for investigation.
The CBI is also conducting a Preliminary Inquiry into the Kandivali land scam case wherein certain part of the 13.28 acres in possession of the Army was allegedly relinquished unauthorisedly and later sold off to a private builder by the Maharashtra government in connivance with some Army officials.
A CBI note issued here on Tuesday said the private builder in both the cases is the same — Kalpataru Builders.
A CBI official said here on Tuesday that a case has been registered against the two ex-officers, Kalpataru Builders and others under sections 120-B and 420 of the Indian Penal Code, and section 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Both the retired officers allegedly showed favour to the builder regarding a 0.96 acre property in Pune Cantonment's defence land.
OUT-OF-COURT SETTLEMENT
"Nobel Thamburaj and Shri S.R. Nayyar settled this matter out of court in spite of all the verdict in favour of the Army which is a gross misconduct on the part of public servants. Nobel Thamburaj and Shri S.R. Nayyar by ignoring existing rules and policies, violating the terms of lease, entered into by the Ministry of Defence, caused pecuniary advantage to M/s. Kalpataru Builders to the tune of Rs. 46 crore without any public interest," the note said.
HOUSES SEARCHED
Pune Staff Reporter writes:
The CBI searched the houses of the two former officials in Pune.
Teams seized documents from the residences of the retired Army officers and from the office of the builder.
A quid pro quo?
"Investigations are on to find out what the two accused got in return for the undue favour shown by them to Kalpataru," Vidya Kulkarni, Superintendent of Police, CBI's Anti-Corruption Branch, said.
Searches were also conducted at the office premises of Kalpataru builders at Koregaon Park in Pune.
The Hindu : States / Other States : CBI books 2 ex-Army officers in Rs. 46 cr. land scam
