Mumbai: Labour Enforcement Officer booked by CBI in graft case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a criminal offence against a Labour Enforcement Officer (LEO) for allegedly demanding money from the complainant whose company is engaged in providing cleaning and maintenance services at Chattarpati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), for not inspecting documents of the company and to allow smooth functioning of the company's business, else he would get the documents of the company inspected and impose penalty.

According to the CBI, It is alleged in the complaint that the complainant's company is engaged in providing cleaning and maintenance services at CSMT. Around a month back, one staff of the company had met the Labour Enforcement Officer (LEO) from the Labour and Employment Department at his office at Nehru Nagar in Kurla East, who has CSMT in his jurisdiction. The LEO checked the documents which the company person was carrying and told him to ask some of his seniors to meet him at his Nehru Nagar office.

The company person then informed the complainant that the LEO wanted to meet him. It is also alleged that on September 23, the complainant along with another colleague met LEO, at his office. During this meeting, LEO had allegedly demanded Rs 15,000 per quarter from him for not inspecting documents of the company and to allow smooth functioning of the company's business. LEO also allegedly pressurized the complainant to think about his demand positively, else he would get the documents of the company inspected and impose penalty, the CBI has alleged in its FIR.

The complainant did not want to pay the bribe as demanded by the LEO and hence he lodged a complaint recently with the CBI. The verification of the complaint was then conducted in the presence of the independent witnesses by recording the conversation held between the complainant and the LEO. The verification of the complaint has established the demand of undue advantage of Rs 15,000 by the LEO. The CBI has booked the LEO under section 7 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) of The Prevention of Corruption Act.