Maharashtra Crime: CBI Registers Corruption Case Against 2 Defence Staffers For Taking Bribes From Army Personnel In Nashik

Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an offence against two auditors posted at the Artillery/Army Aviation Centre (AAC) Nashik in a corruption related case.

According to the CBI, Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) AAC maintains pay and allowances of Artillery & AAC Nashik personnel. The entitlements of army personnel are received in the Pay & Accounts Office (P&AO).

It was further learnt that officers in the rank of Auditors and Assistant Account Officers (AAO) posted at CGDA Nashik, in connivance with unknown officers posted at Record Office of Artillery and AAC, Nashik, are taking undue advantage from the army personnel to pay money for the timely disbursement of the genuine payments.

A Joint Surprise Check (JSC) was conducted on 13.11.2024 at P&AO, AAC Nashik, by the team of officers of CBI ACB Mumbai, along with the officers of Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Army), Pune in order to verify the allegation of criminal misconduct being committed by staff of said P&AO, AAC, Nashik. It was revealed during the JSC that the public servants posted at P&AO, AAC Nashik are allegedly indulging in corrupt practices.

"It was further revealed that they are demanding & accepting undue advantages from the army personnel to make payments for timely disbursement of the genuine payments in their bank account or the bank accounts of their known/family members/friends.

During JSC, incriminating communications pertaining to transactions/conversations held among the suspect public servant and private persons have been found from the WhatsApp chats between suspect public servant and private persons," said a CBI official.

"During JSC, scrutiny of the mobile phone of two Auditors revealed that they had incriminating chats relating to demand and acceptance of undue advantage. The accused public servants in connivance with others had demanded and accepted undue advantages from Army Personnel for performing their official duties," the official added.

A case has been registered in the matter on charges of criminal conspiracy, bribing of public servant, taking undue advantage to influence public servant by corrupt or illegal means or by exercising personal influence, obtaining undue advantage without consideration, abetment etc under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, officials said.