CBI files chargesheet against senior NHAI official, pvt company in corruption case
Oct 27, 2023
New Delhi [India], October 27 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday filed a chargesheet against NHAI Regional Officer Hem Raj for the alleged irregularities in awarding of tenders for improvement and routine maintenance of the Lakhanpur-Jammu Section.
Hem Raj was earlier posted at the Regional Office, Jammu.
The CBI has also named a private person (the proprietor of a private company) and a private company before the Court of Special Judge for CBI Cases in Jammu in an ongoing investigation of a case.
On March 24, 2021, CBI registered a case against Hem Raj (MES), the then Regional Officer, NHAI, Regional Office, Jammu; Rakesh Kumar Choudhary (private person); and unknown others on the allegations of irregularities in the award of tenders for improvement and routine maintenance of the Lakhanpur-Jammu Section for Rs 9.34 crore (approximately).
Searches were earlier conducted at seven places, including Jammu, Chandigarh, Ropar, etc., which led to the recovery of cash worth Rs 67 lakh (approximately) and other documents and digital devices from the premises of the accused.
According to the CBI, during the investigation, it was found that the experience certificates submitted by the accused along with its bid were forged and were considered by the Tender Evaluation Committee for the award of the tender.
It was further alleged that the Regional officer, NHAI, entered into a conspiracy with the private person and favoured the said private company by not properly verifying the genuineness of experience certificates and overlooking the lack of experience of the firm.
"In pursuance of said conspiracy, the public servant falsely showed the dispatch of verification letters but did not actually dispatch the same. After investigation, a chargesheet has been filed.
