Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has recovered Rs 1,42,70,000, cash, two gold biscuits, one laptop and other incriminating documents during further search operation at the premises of accused Sr. Manager of a Thane based private company in an ongoing investigation of a case of bribery involving among others an Asstt Director (AD) of FSSAI, Regional Office, Mumbai.
Those arrested have been identified as Amol Jagtap, Asst. Director (Technical), FSSAI, Regional Office, Mumbai, Dr. Vikas Bhardwaj, Director of M/s. Reliable Analytical Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Harshal Chougule, Sr. Manager and Gurunath Dubule also an employee of the company. The arrested accused were produced before the Competent Court and had been remanded to Police Custody till 08.05.2024.
A case was registered on 04.05.2024 by CBI against accused including Asst. Director (Technical), FSSAI, Mumbai and two private persons viz a Director & a Sr. Manager of Thane based private company, the said private company and other unknown person.
It was alleged that the said Assistant Director (AD), FSSAI, Regional Office, Mumbai, in connivance with a number of intermediaries, was involved in illegal & corrupt practices of demanding and accepting bribes from Food Business Operators and other interested parties for dishonest discharge of public duty in his capacity as public servant.
It was also alleged that accused AD, FSSAI had agreed to accept bribe from the accused Sr. Manager of the private company, who would deliver the bribe on behalf of the Director of the said Company, in lieu of clearance of their pending bills.
Thereafter, CBI had laid a trap and had caught accused Assistant Director, FSSAI, red handed while accepting the bribe of Rs.1,20,000/- from the said Sr. Manager and another representative of the private company. All three accused involved in the exchange of bribe money were arrested. Later, the accused Director of the private company was also arrested.
During searches conducted, earlier, at the office and residential premises of accused Rs. 37.3 lakh cash, about 45 gram gold and documents pertaining to various immovable properties and other incriminating documents were recovered. With today’s search operation total cash recovered amounts to Rs. 1.8 crore along with gold/gold biscuits, etc. during various searches carried out by CBI after the trap.
