Mumbai, April 27: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against the then Intelligence Officer of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Mumbai, and a person who was an accused in a case registered by the NCB in 2006, on allegations that the NCB officer had connived with the accused to issue him a letter which was used by the accused in PMLA proceedings, after which he was discharged by the PMLA court.
Preliminary enquiry registered
According to the CBI, a Preliminary Enquiry was registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation Anti-Corruption Branch (CBI-ACB), Mumbai, against K Kiran Babu, then Intelligence Officer, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Mumbai, an advocate, and unknown others on the basis of a written reference dated May 29, 2025, received from Anurag Garg, Director General, NCB.
200 kg cocaine seizure case
It was informed that the NCB Mumbai had seized around 200 kg of cocaine at Nhava-Sheva Port, Navi Mumbai, on June 3, 2006, and had registered a case in this regard. After investigation of the said case, the NCB had filed a complaint on December 8, 2006, before the NDPS Court, Mumbai, against O.D. Nagoja, U.B. Bangur, and V. Thorve.
Accused discharged in NDPS case
It was further informed that during trial of the said NDPS case, accused Nagoja was discharged by the trial court on February 3, 2015, against which the office of the Zonal Director, NCB Mumbai, had filed a revision petition before the High Court, and the revision petition was admitted on September 3, 2018.
Further, vide order dated May 13, 2019, passed by the NDPS Court, Mumbai, the remaining two accused persons, Bangur and Thorve, were also discharged.
Letter allegedly issued without approval
Bangur, in connivance with K Kiran Babu, the then Intelligence Officer, NCB Mumbai, wrote a letter dated May 12, 2022, seeking updated status of the case. K Kiran Babu, who was neither the investigating officer nor the case-handling officer of the said case, issued a letter dated May 31, 2022, to accused Bangur mentioning that “As on date no litigation is pending in the present case before any court of law.”
Letter used in PMLA proceedings
This letter of K Kiran Babu, which was provided without any approval from the concerned Zonal Director or any other superior officer, was used by accused Umesh Bangur in the PMLA proceedings, and Umesh Bangur and other accused persons were discharged by the PMLA Court on June 14, 2023.
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CBI probing advocate’s role
The said facts mentioned in the reference of Anurag Garg, DG NCB Mumbai, disclosed misconduct on the part of K Kiran, then IO, the advocate, and unknown others. Hence, the said Preliminary Enquiry was registered after obtaining necessary approval. The role of an advocate who was representing NCB in the NDPS court is also being probed by the CBI.
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