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Indian Express
29-05-2025
- Indian Express
Non-existent crime wing, misuse of Union minister, ex-CJI's name: How duo defrauded job aspirants of Rs 25 lakh
Sometime in 2017-18, Chennai resident Na Vijayshankar received the news he had been waiting for. He was told that he had been 'appointed' as a director in the 'Karnataka State Anti-Corruption and Anti-Crime (ACAC) Wing'. For the purpose, Vijayshankar had made a payment of ₹1 lakh to two men, Reningston Sales and Vincent Raju, to 'facilitate' the appointment. While perusing his appointment letter, a particular line caught Vijayshankar's attention: It contained the name of a Minister for State purportedly 'intimating Chief Secretaries of all the States about the appointment of former CJI RM Lodha (Retired) as the President of ACAC Wing of India.' He ran a quick Google search. Turned out, no such wing existed. Realising that he had been duped, Vijayshankar reported the matter to the Central Vigilance Commission, which then forwarded the information to the CBI. Following a preliminary enquiry, an FIR was lodged against Sales and Raju in 2022. As per the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Vijayshankar was not the only one. With the same modus operandi, the accused had duped multiple people of a total amount of Rs 25 lakh. The duo, claimed the agency, also relied on a forged letter purportedly issued by a former President addressed to ex-CJI Lodha congratulating him for 'accepting the position of National President of ACAC Wing of India'. These forged documents were enough to coax multiple persons into giving the duo lakhs for the 'plum position' at ACAC, said officers. The officers said the accused, using forged documents, opened a bank account in which the money sent by various victims in the form of 'membership fee' of the wing was deposited. Officers said the accused took amounts ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,00,000 per membership for their victims. Rs 10.75 lakh from the total amount was withdrawn and diverted for personal use of the accused, they added. 'They had created a fake email ID in the name of which was used in commission of the offence. The recovery phone number in this email ID was found to belong to Mr. Reningston Sales (A-1). The information received from Google Inc also showed that fake email IDs were prepared from the same IP address of Mr. Reningston Sale (A-1),' alleged the CBI. A Zonal Office, at No. 44A, 18th Avenue, Ashok Nagar, Chennai, was given on rent to Raju, who had put up a board of 'ACAB' on his premises; Reningston Sales used to visit this address,' alleged the CBI as per the Court order. Their 'head office' in Paharganj existed only on paper. 'From the allegations in the charge sheet and the documents filed along with the charge sheet, there is sufficient material on record to take cognizance for commission of offences punishable under Section 120B r/w Section 420/471 IPC and Section 7 r/w Section 3 of the State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005 and substantive offences thereof,' said Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Nishant Garg of Rouse Avenue Court in his order dated May 23. The court has summoned the accused persons to appear before it on August 22. Sales and Raju had earlier been granted anticipatory bail by the Delhi High Court.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bezrukova reinstated as head of Ukraine's Defence Procurement Agency
Maryna Bezrukova is once again listed as the head of the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) in the state registry, marking the third leadership change within a week. Source: Interfax Ukraine; the open data platform YouControl; Anti-Corruption Action Centre (ACAC) on Telegram Quote from the ACAC: "In yet another leadership change – the THIRD in just one week – the state registry now lists Maryna Bezrukova as the head of the DPA again. Arsen Zhumadilov is no longer even mentioned as the acting head." Details: YouControl said the leadership change occurred on 29 January. Before that, Arsen Zhumadilov had been listed as the head of the DPA in the state registry since 25 January. Zhumadilov, who also leads the Ministry of Defence's specialised procurement organisation, Ukraine's State Logistics Operator, explained that Defence Minister Rustem Umierov had suspended Bezrukova during an internal investigation and temporarily appointed him to oversee the DPA. In an interview with Suspilne on 29 January, Bezrukova said that the internal investigation concerns a contract for the purchase of old mines, which has not yet come into effect. She also mentioned that the investigation was extended from 29 January to 7 February. The ACAC has stated that Zhumadilov's appointment as acting head of the DPA on 24 January and the subsequent changes to the leadership in the state registry on 25 January were illegal. The ACAC emphasizes that Zhumadilov was listed as the head of the DPA in the registry, without any mention that he was acting in a temporary capacity. ACAC's head Vitalii Shabunin called these actions an attack on the anti-corruption reform in the defence industry. Quote: "I have a strong request to the petty raiders: stop! The government's attack on the key anti-corruption reform in the defence sector has already been covered by the Financial Times, New York Times, and Bloomberg, and more will follow. We also have NATO's firm support and backing from G7 ambassadors. This shame is being broadcast worldwide at a time that is critically important for Ukraine's survival." Background: Defence Minister Rustem Umierov said on 24 January that the ministry would not be extending the contract with the head of the DPA, Maryna Bezrukova, because Ukraine's arms procurement had "turned into an Amazon" under her leadership. Arsen Zhumadilov, head of the Ukrainian State Logistics Operator, who has been appointed as the DPA's new head by the Defence Ministry, said he had agreed to head up the DPA "at this difficult time". Meanwhile, Bezrukova announced that she would continue to perform her duties, and the DPA said it would continue to work under her leadership, "because the right to extend or terminate a director's current contract is vested exclusively in the Supervisory Board". The ambassadors of the Group of Seven in Ukraine recommended "that the situation in the DPA be resolved expeditiously and focus on keeping defence procurement going". Support UP or become our patron!
