New Delhi: Booked by the CBI for alleged abuse of power, former deputy general manager of the Ordnance Factory Ambajhari (Nagpur), Deepak Lamba has been accused of establishing a proprietorship firm in the name of his cousin and manipulating the terms of tenders to award them to the company.
Lamba allegedly established the firm, Automation Engineering and Industrial Services, in July 2022 when he was the DGM, OFAJ, Nagpur.
The agency has conducted raids at four locations on Tuesday in the matter.
According to a CBI First Information Report, a copy of which is with ThePrint, the firm and its proprietor, Mohit Tholia (Lamba’s cousin), submitted forged and false experience certificates, on the basis of which a tender for machining forged steel components in shell machines was awarded.
The Rs 1.71-crore tender was awarded in October 2022, just four months after the company was established.
During the relevant period, Lamba was assigned the portfolio of Shell Machine in addition to the Shell Forge Section and he allegedly prepared the technical specifications of this tender. Moreover, it is also alleged that Lamba was responsible for the technical evaluation of the tender documents of various firms.
“It is further alleged that the accused Dy. GM entered into multiple to-and-fro financial and banking transactions with the private firm through bank accounts of himself and his family members,” a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.
‘Abuse of official position’
The complainant, the Chief Vigilance Officer of Yantra India Limited, a public sector defence company formed after the corporatisation of ordnance baords, has also alleged that “multiple financial transactions” had taken place between the firm in question and Lamba along with his wife Nidhi Mehla, brother Lokesh, sister Preeti and mother Taravati through the bank account of Automation Engineering and Industrial Services.
“The said financial transactions through bank accounts are to and fro, meaning thereby that the suspect Deepak Lamba has invested and has interest in the said firm and he was instrumental in establishing the said proprietorship firm in the name of Mohit Tholia, who is reportedly his cousin.
“The complaint/Action Taken Report, prima facie reveals abuse of official position by Shri Deepak Lamba, the then Dy. General Manager, OFAJ in criminal conspiracy with Shri Mohit Tholia,” the FIR notes.
Lamba is accused of misusing his official position for obtaining “undue advantage for himself and his family members”. The FIR notes that the role of other officials at OFAJ and private persons is also suspected.
The original complaint was received under the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informer (PlDPl) mechanism from the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).
Following this, the Vigilance Department of Yantra India Limited (YlL), Nagpur took it over for a detailed investigation. A detailed analysis of the bank statements of the firm and Lamba revealed multiple unauthorised transactions allegedly between the two to the tune of lakhs, according to the complaint.
Further, it is alleged in the complaint that all orders went to the firm, and Lamba and other senior officials “misappropriated” government funds.
Moreover, as per the complainant, after the corruption complaint was received, Lamba, who was transferred to Extrusion and Foundry, allegedly pressured others to make the whole job tender and also threatened the workforce, saying they will be removed if they don’t comply.
“As per CCS ( Central Civil Services) conduct rules 4, no government official shall be concerned with any case under his jurisdiction in which his family member is involved or getting any kind of benefit,” the complaint states.
The complaint also accuses three other senior officials of being hand in glove in the fraud.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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