BHOPAL: The ongoing irrigation projects in the state may run into a roadblock due to the arrest of Srinivas Raju Mantena, owner of Mantena Constructions.
Mantena has obtained the work of Chhindwara Irrigation Complex, Bina Irrigation Complex, Parvati irrigation projects, Pench micro projects, Seoni canal project.
Some of the projects have been completed, work on a few has yet to be done; and some of them have still to begin. After arresting Mantena, the Enforcement Directorate is about to seize his accounts.
The Mantena Group cannot do any transactions, since the agency is inquiring into the dealings done by the company through its bank accounts. It is because of the probe agency’s noose around the company that, the ongoing projects may hit a roadblock. According to sources, the Mantena Group is directly involved in some projects, and it is working with other firms for a few ventures. In Madhya Pradesh, Mantena Constructions used to work through other companies. In coming days, the probe agency may tighten its noose around all those companies.
Those firms have taken a lot of money in advance from the Water Resources Department. Therefore, stoppage of work may cause a huge financial loss to the government.
Tripathi’s mother worked for Water Resources Dept:
ED sleuths arrested Aditya Tripathi whose mother worked for the Water Resources Department (WRD). She was a grade-III employee in ENC division of WRD. Tripathi initially got some work as sub-contractor from WRD. He was associated with Srinivas Raju Mantena and began to work with him.
The main role of Tripathi was to distribute money among the officers. Mantena would send money to the government officials through Tripathi. According to sources, during interrogation by ED sleuths Tripathi revealed the names of a few people who he used to send money. A notice was also issued to Gopal Reddy to question him on the basis of Tripathi’s revelations.
EOW too quizzed: The Economic Offences Wing, too, quizzed Aditya Tripathi in connection with e-tender scam. EOW also came across transaction of money between Tripathi and Mantena.
After that, Tripathi sent brass to the accounts of others through a money trail. Besides, he withdrew a huge amount of money from his own accounts, and EOW was searching for its details. As Mantena had links with various governments, EOW could not probe the case.
