The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against IPS officer Bhagyashree Navtake on charges of forgery and criminal conspiracy, agency sources said on Thursday.
The CBI has registered a case against Navtake under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 120-B (Punishment of criminal conspiracy), 166 (Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person), 167 (Public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury), 177 (Furnishing false information), 193 (Punishment for false evidence), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender), 466 (Forgery of record of court or public register, etc), and 474 (Possessing forged documents).
The IPS officer had headed the Special Investigation Team as DCP (Economic Offence Wing) to probe cases related to the alleged ₹1,200 crore scam pertaining to the Jalgaon-based Bhaichand Hirachand Raisoni (BHR) Credit Society during 2020-22. The alleged scam involved allegedly cheating a large number of people by promising attractive interest on fixed deposits.
Earlier in August, the Pune Police registered a case against Navtake. The case was filed based on a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) report that highlighted procedural lapses in the scam investigation. The CID probe found instances of forgery, including registering three cases under one crime in a single day and obtaining complainants' signatures without their presence.
Later, she moved the Bombay High Court seeking to have the case quashed. In her plea, Navtake has stated that the FIR against her is "vague and illegal" and goes against the principles of natural justice as she was not allowed to explain the allegations levelled against her. She has also alleged that some of the charges invoked against her are not substantiated.
Navtake is currently posted as the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) Commandant in Chandrapur.
