CBI books 2 firms for cheating banks of ` 340cr, raids 6 places

NEW DELHI: The CBI said on Friday it had registered cases against two companies based in NCR as well as Karnal in Haryana on the charge of cheating banks of more than Rs 340 crore and carried out searches at six locations.

The CBI raids were conducted at the premises of the two companies as well as their accused officials/owners.

An official said the agency had registered a case of fraud on a complaint by State Bank of India against Naftogaz India Private Limited, New Delhi/Noida, and others, including its CMD and unknown public servants or persons for causing a loss of Rs 219.81 crore.

He alleged the firm cheated the bank through diversion of bank funds, fraudulent transactions, criminal misappropriation, submission of false stock or debt statements etc.

The complainant bank alleged the company was incorporated in 2005 as EPC contractor for exploration, drilling, extraction and production of mineral oils, natural gas and petroleum products. The fraud came to light when forensic auditors submitted a report on February 18 last year for the period from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2014.

Meanwhile, CBI officials booked for graft by the central probe agency were not only receiving regular kickbacks for compromising investigation, but were also acting as conduits to bribe their peers on behalf of companies accused of siphoning off crores of public money from banks, the FIR against them alleges.

In another development, the CBI on Friday arrested Subhra Kundu, wife of the jailed owner of Rose Valley Group chairman Gautam Kundu, from Kolkata in the probe into the multi-crore chit fund scam, sources in the agency said.