The alleged dilution of the look-out circular, issued on 22 May 2018, was believed to have helped C. Sivasankaran escape from the country.
New Delhi: Manish Kumar Sinha, the CBI DIG who caused a mini-storm Monday after he named several top functionaries of the Modi government in an application filed in the Supreme Court, apparently had a role in the alleged dilution of the look-out circular (LOC) against Aircel Maxis case accused C. Sivasankaran, thereby helping him flee the country.
The LOC was issued on 22 May 2018 to prevent Sivasankaran from leaving India. Sivasankaran made a request to travel on 3 August and finally left India for good in September 2018.
According to sources, Sinha, along with CBI joint director A.K. Sharma, allegedly diluted the LOC against Sivasankaran — one of the accused in the Aircel Maxis case who allegedly defrauded IDBI bank of Rs 600 crore — despite a communication from head of branch of Bank Security and Fraud Cell, Bengaluru — a CBI wing — stating that he may leave the country and not return.
Sinha was a key officer in the Bank Security and Fraud Cell, Bengaluru, which was dealing with the LOC.
“If he is permitted to leave India, there is every possibility to escape the process of justice in India (sic),” the branch head wrote in a letter dated 29 August.
ThePrint reached Sinha for comment, but he did not respond until the time of publishing this report.
The head of branch also mentioned that the investigating officer of the case had informed senior officers that Sivasankaran has a role in causing wrongful loss of more than Rs 600 crore to IDBI bank and that his presence will be required in India for investigation and that there is every chance he may not cooperate if he is allowed to leave India.
The head of branch also stated that Sivasankaran is a named accused and he must stay in India until the case is investigated, chargesheet filed and a final report clarifying Sivasankaran’s role in the case is submitted in the court.
Sinha, a 2000 batch IPS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, Monday filed a plea challenging his transfer alleging that he was sent away because he was probing CBI special director Rakesh Asthana’s role in a corruption case.
He was transferred from Anti-Corruption Unit III to Nagpur, following the ouster of director CBI Alok Verma and Asthana on 23 October.
Sources said that Sinha, who is said to be close to Alok Verma, filed the plea to “stall” the issue further, after the Supreme court asked Verma to file his reply on the CVC report by Monday itself.
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An officer who handled high-profile cases
Sinha joined the IPS in 2000 and was allotted the Andhra Pradesh cadre where he worked for the 13 years.
He joined CBI on deputation in November 2013 and has worked at various branches — ACB Bhubaneswar, Banks Securities and Frauds Cell, Bengaluru, with an additional charge of EOW Bhubaneswar; head of the branch of Anti-Corruption III at Delhi with additional charge of Bank Security and Fraud Cell, Delhi.
The Odisha chit fund scam and Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi bank defrauding cases are among the high-profile cases he handled include.
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