Latest news with #AmreshMishra
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
IAS officer among 9 named in DMF scam EOW chargesheet in Chhattisgarh
Raipur: The Chhattisgarh Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has filed a 6,000-page chargesheet against nine accused — including senior bureaucrats and businessmen — in the special anti-corruption court in Raipur in the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) scam. EOW chief Amresh Mishra named the accused in the chargesheet filed on May 27 — Saumya Chaurasia, former OSD to then CM Bhupesh Baghel , former Korba collector and suspended IAS officer Ranu Sahu, former assistant commissioner-tribal development Maya Warrior, former deputy collector & DMF nodal officer Bharosa Ram Thakur, and former janpad panchayat CEOs Bhuneswar Singh Raj, Virendra Rathore and Radheshyam Mirjha, businessman Suryakant Tiwari and vendor Manoj Dwivedi. All nine are charged under IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 467 (forgery of valuable documents), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), and 471 (using a forged document as genuine), along with provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act. All of them are in judicial custody. According to the EOW chargesheet, during the 2021–22 and 2022–23 fiscals, funds allocated under DMF Trust in Korba were misappropriated through a criminal conspiracy. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo The accused allegedly ensured that tenders were awarded to preferred vendors/proprietors, who were directly or indirectly associated with them. As part of a well-orchestrated scheme, these vendors were allegedly granted lucrative contracts, and in return, around 40% commission — approximately Rs 75 crore — was siphoned off, inflicting a significant financial loss to the government. The court filing includes extensive documentation and evidence. According to the investigation, some private companies paid 15%-20% commission to secure DMF contracts. The scam was allegedly orchestrated through rigged tenders, dummy firms, and illegal financial arrangements. Officials said fake companies were set up to secure tenders and bribes were falsely recorded as accommodation expenses. Large amounts of cash and forged documents were recovered during raids, along with digital devices and stamps of dummy firms. ED seized Rs 76.5 lakh in cash and froze eight bank accounts containing Rs 35 lakh, were also confiscated, says the chargesheet. The investigation continues and more names could surface, officers said. DMF was set up to benefit mining-affected communities, but has now become the centre of a high-profile corruption scandal, raising serious questions about oversight and accountability within the system. EOW's investigation, backed by an Enforcement Directorate (ED) report, has revealed serious financial irregularities in fund allocation and tendering processes in Korba district. On March 3, Supreme Court granted interim bail to 12 accused in a coal scam case, including Sahu, Chaurasia, and Tiwari. However, before they could walk free, EOW obtained a production warrant and arrested them in the DMF case, ensuring their continued detention. ED has already attached assets worth nearly Rs 23.8 crore belonging to 10 people, including Ranu Sahu, Maya Warrior, and Manoj Dwivedi.
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Time of India
Maoist commander carrying cash reward of Rs 8 lakh, killed in Gariaband
RAIPUR: A Maoist commander carrying Rs 8 lakh cash bounty was killed in an encounter in Gariaband district in Chhattisgarh during an anti-Maoist operation in Friday. Security forces recovered the body of killed Maoist along with an automatic weapon. Raipur range inspector general of police Amresh Mishra said in a statement that an encounter broke out on Friday in forests near Jugad area. A team of security forces ventured out on an operation, based on specific inputs about presence of Maoists in Bhaludiggi hills near Odisha-Chhattisgarh borders in Gariaband district. A joint team of CRPF, E-30 – a district police unit was out in forest near Motipani village when the encounter took place in the evening around 6, when Maoists opened fire. After a brief exchange of fire for about half an hour, security forces recovered a huge cache of explosives from the site along with the Maoist's body and an SLR. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Thousands Are Saving Money Using This Wall Plug elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Click Here Undo The Maoist was identified as Yogesh, a divisional committee member, who carried Rs 8 lakh reward, said Gariaband SP Nikhil Rakhecha. Earlier, 17 Maoists were gunned down in Gariaband district in the same forest range of Bhaludiggi, while 128 others have been killed so far this year in Bastar division.
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Time of India
4 held in Bharatmala ‘scam'; Action taken in CGMSC case
Raipur: Four individuals were arrested on Saturday in connection with the multi-crore 'scam' in the Bharatmala project in the state following searches at 20 locations linked to officials on Friday. In a parallel development, EOW has filed a detailed charge sheet against six arrested individuals in the Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation (CGMSC) 'scam'. In the Bharatmala case, according to information shared by Amresh Mishra, EOW/ACB chief, the investigations revealed that between 2020 and 2024, a criminal conspiracy was orchestrated by public servants, compensation recipients, and others to fraudulently resell land already acquired by the govt. Misappropriate compensation payments were done by issuing them to individuals other than rightful landowners, and divide private lands into subplots to illegally claim compensation. These activities led to defrauding the government and caused financial losses worth crores of rupees. The arrests were made by the Anti-Corruption Bureau/ Economic Offences Wing (ACB/EOW) in connection with the irregularities related to the Bharatmala Project's land acquisition for the proposed Raipur-Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor. ACB/EOW had registered a case under crime No. 30/2025 under Section 7(c) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018), and Sections 467, 468, 471, 420, and 120B of the Indian Penal Code. On April 25, 2025, Bureau teams conducted raids at 20 locations across the state. Following interrogation, Uma Tiwari and her husband, Kedar Tiwari, were arrested for illegally receiving Rs 2 crore in compensation belonging to another person. Another accused, Harmeet Singh Khanuja, was arrested for aiding Uma Tiwari in illegally acquiring compensation money and siphoning off funds meant for several farmers. Additionally, businessman Vijay Jain, another associate of Uma Tiwari, was arrested for his role in the fraudulent acquisition of compensation funds. All accused were produced before the Special Court (Anti-Corruption), Raipur, and police remand was obtained. Further investigation into the case is ongoing. In the second development, registered under Crime No. 05/2025, the CGMSC case involves charges under Sections 409 and 120B of the IPC and Sections 13(1)(A) read with 13(2) and 7(c) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018). The 'scam' pertains to the Hamara Lab Scheme, under which medical equipment and reagents were purchased for district hospitals, FRUs, CHCs, PHCs, and sub-health centers across the state. Investigations revealed large-scale collusion through pooled tendering and unnecessary procurement of reagents far beyond requirements, leading to a massive misappropriation of public funds amounting to approximately Rs 550 crore. The arrested accused include Shashank Chopra (Director/Partner of Mokshit Medicare Pvt. Ltd.) and five officials from the Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation — Basant Kumar Kaushik, Kshirodra Rautia, Dr. Anil Parsai, Kamalkant Patanwar, and Deepak Kumar Bandhe. Together, they are accused of a well-orchestrated criminal conspiracy to embezzle govt funds. An 18,000-page charge sheet was submitted today before the Special Court (Anti-Corruption), Raipur. Further investigation in the matter is ongoing.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Time of India
ACB, EOW search 20 locations of officials linked to multi-cr Bharatmala ‘scam' in CG
Raipur: In a sweeping crackdown on corruption linked to the Bharatmala Project , the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Economic Offences Wing (EOW) conducted simultaneous searches across 20 locations in the state on Friday morning. The searches targeted officials from the Revenue Department, including SDMs, Tehsildars, Patwaris, and Revenue Inspectors suspected of being involved in a multi-crore land acquisition 'scam' in the state. ACB/ EOW chief Amresh Mishra said that the action began as early as 6 am, with teams descending on properties in Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Mahasamund, Naya Raipur, and Abhanpur. During the operations, officials recovered large amounts of cash, jewelry, and key land documents, reportedly linked to fraudulent compensation claims under the project. Among the officials under investigation are Nirbhay Kumar Sahu, Jitendra Kumar Sahu, Dinesh Patel, Shashikant Kurre, Deputy Collector, suspended earlier, Lekhram Devangan, Lakheshwar Prasad Kiran, Roshan Lal Verma, Vinay Kumar Gandhi and others, including representatives from private firms such as Dashmesh Intraventure Pvt. Ltd. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Newtownabbey: Born Between 1940-1975 You May Be Eligible For This Life Cover Reassured Get Quote Undo At the center of the investigation is a Rs 43 crore land acquisition 'scam' tied to the Bharatmala project, a major national infrastructure project. Officials allegedly collaborated with land mafias to subdivide land parcels into smaller plots and backdate ownership records, inflating compensation values dramatically. For instance, in the villages of Nayakbandha and Urla, Abhanpur region, authorities claim that land worth Rs 29.5 crore was shown as valued at Rs 78 crore, with 80 new names fraudulently added to the records. One particular family reportedly received Rs 70 crore in compensation for land that was redistributed among 14 members just days before the survey. A total of Rs 324 crore had been earmarked for compensation along a 9.38-km stretch in the Abhanpur belt, of which Rs 246 crore has already been paid, while the remaining Rs 78 crore has now been frozen following the revelations. The alleged scam was first brought to light by the Leader of Opposition Dr. Charandas Mahant, who wrote to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) demanding a CBI probe. The PMO acknowledged the complaint, and Dr. Mahant has since confirmed receipt of a reply. The issue was also raised in Parliament by MP Jyotsna Charandas Mahant, but the central govt has so far declined to initiate a CBI inquiry, prompting Congress legislators to stage walkouts in protest. Meanwhile, NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) officials had earlier raised red flags about irregularities in the Raipur-Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor—part of the broader Bharatmala project—which further prompted scrutiny from the revenue department. Bharatmala project, launched by the government of India, aims to create a 50-corridor network connecting over 550 district headquarters through four-lane highways. It is also expected to shift 80% of freight traffic to national highways. However, the unfolding 'scam' in Chhattisgarh has cast a shadow over the process and raising questions about oversight and accountability. The ACB-EOW has confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, and detailed disclosures will be made upon completion of evidence collection. For now, the searches have shaken the state's bureaucracy and further intensified the political battle over transparency in mega infrastructure projects.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Time of India
Chhattisgarh ACB, EOW raids over 20 officials across Chhattisgarh in land scam under Bharatmala Project
RAIPUR: In a sweeping crackdown on corruption linked to the Bharatmala Project , the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Economic Offences Wing (EOW) conducted simultaneous raids across 20 locations in Chhattisgarh on Friday morning. The raids targeted officials from the Revenue Department, including SDMs, Tehsildars, Patwaris, and Revenue Inspectors suspected of being involved in a multi-crore land acquisition scam . ACB/ EOW chief Amresh Mishra said that the action began as early as 6 AM, with teams descending on properties in Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Mahasamund, Naya Raipur, and Abhanpur. During the operations, officials recovered large amounts of cash, jewelry, and key land documents, reportedly linked to fraudulent compensation claims. Among the officials under investigation are Nirbhay Kumar Sahu, Jitendra Kumar Sahu, Dinesh Patel, Shashikant Kurre, Deputy Collector, suspended earlier, Lekhram Devangan, Lakheshwar Prasad Kiran, Roshan Lal Verma, Vinay Kumar Gandhi and others, including representatives from private firms such as Dashmesh Intraventure Pvt. Ltd. At the center of the investigation is a Rs 43 crore land acquisition scam tied to the Bharatmala project, a major national infrastructure project. Officials allegedly collaborated with land mafias to subdivide land parcels into smaller plots and backdate ownership records, inflating compensation values dramatically. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 3 Reasons to Plug This Into Your Home Today elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Learn More Undo For example, in the villages of Nayakbandha and Urla, Abhanpur region, authorities claim that land worth Rs 29.5 crore was shown as valued at Rs 78 crore, with 80 new names fraudulently added to the records. One particular family reportedly received Rs 70 crore in compensation for land that was redistributed among 14 members just days before the survey. A total of Rs 324 crore had been earmarked for compensation along a 9.38-km stretch in the Abhanpur belt, of which Rs 246 crore has already been paid, while the remaining Rs 78 crore has now been frozen following the revelations. The alleged scam was first brought to light by Leader of Opposition Charandas Mahant, who wrote to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) demanding a CBI probe. The PMO acknowledged the complaint, and Dr. Mahant has since confirmed receipt of a reply. The issue was also raised in Parliament by Lok Sabha MP Jyotsna Charandas Mahant, but the central government has so far declined to initiate a CBI inquiry, prompting Congress legislators to stage walkouts in protest. Meanwhile, NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) officials had earlier raised red flags about irregularities in the Raipur-Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor—part of the broader Bharatmala project—which further prompted scrutiny from the Revenue Department. Bharatmala project, launched by the Government of India, aims to create a 50-corridor network connecting over 550 district headquarters through four-lane highways. It is also expected to shift 80% of freight traffic to national highways. However, the unfolding scam in Chhattisgarh has cast a shadow over the implementation process, raising questions about oversight and accountability. The ACB-EOW has confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, and detailed disclosures will be made upon completion of evidence collection. For now, the raids have shaken the state's bureaucracy and further intensified the political battle over transparency in mega infrastructure projects.
