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Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
CBI charge sheets former public servants in loan fraud, bribery case
MUMBAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday submitted its charge sheet in a Mumbai court against five persons, including the former chairperson and managing director (CMD) of public sector enterprise, BECIL (Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited), Noida, and the founder of a Mumbai firm, in a case linked to alleged irregularities in the sanction and disbursal of multi-crore loans and bribery transactions. The CBI probe found that George Kuruvilla, former CMD of BECIL, was allegedly paid undue advantages of ₹3 crore by an official of a Mumbai-based firm called Green Billions Limited, for favours. The CBI's Mumbai unit had initiated its probe on September 3 last year, based on a reference from the Union ministry of information and broadcasting, to probe alleged irregularities in the sanction and disbursal of a venture loan of ₹50 crore by the then CMD to the Mumbai firm, which remained outstanding. The CBI charge sheet was filed against the then CMD, George Kuruvilla, BECIL's then general manager (GM) WB Prasad, BECIL's then legal advisor Ashish Singh, Mumbai-based firm Green Billions Limited, and the firm's then chief executive officer (CEO) and founder, Prateek Kanakia. During investigations, the CBI arrested Kuruvilla, Prasad and Kanakia, who are in judicial custody. The investigation revealed that during 2022, Kuruvilla had allegedly entered into a criminal conspiracy with the other accused, with the intent to cheat BECIL of ₹50 crore, on the pretext of sanctioning and disbursing a venture loan of ₹50 crore to the Mumbai firm, according to CBI officials. The investigation further revealed that the former BECIL officials accused in the case had then obtained a short-term corporate loan of ₹80 crore from IREDA (Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited), a public sector enterprise, and of the said loan, they disbursed ₹50 crore to the Mumbai firm as a venture loan for a waste-to-energy project in the Pune Municipal Corporation. The project was awarded to another private firm, the officials said. CBI's investigation also revealed that Kanakia did not utilise the disbursed funds in the project. Instead, he diverted most of the funds for his own use and also paid undue advantage of ₹2 crore in April 2022 and ₹1 crore in April 2023 to the main accused, George Kuruvilla, a CBI official said. Investigations also revealed that to access the remaining amount of the sanctioned loan of ₹80 crore by IREDA to BECIL, the accused officers of BECIL allegedly sanctioned additional funds of ₹25 crore to the Mumbai firm on September 5, 2022. Further, the original documents relating to the project at BECIL were allegedly destroyed by the accused persons, according to CBI officials. CBI's probe found that the accused officials allegedly received a forged Performance Bank Guarantee (a financial security guaranteeing that a project or contract will be completed according to agreed terms), dated November 28, 2022, of ₹25 crore, purportedly issued by a public sector bank, and that after the disbursal of the ₹50-crore loan, they did not ensure end-use of the funds for the given purpose, CBI officials said. Kanakia did not repay the outstanding loan amount to BECIL. Further, Kuruvilla and Prasad did not obtain any collateral security from the Mumbai firm to secure the loan. A wrongful loss of ₹58.60 crore was caused to BECIL, the CBI official said.
India Today
24-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
CBI chargesheet against ex-chief of government firm and others in corruption case
The CBI on Friday filed a chargesheet against five accused, including the former chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) of Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL), in connection with alleged bribery and loan disbursal amounting to Rs 50 on a reference from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the CBI registered a case on September 3 last year to probe alleged irregularities in the sanction and disbursal of a venture loan of Rs 50 crore by George Kuruvilla, BECIL's former CMD, to a private firm, The Green Billions Limited (TGBL), Mumbai, represented by Prateek Kanakia, CEO and revealed that during 2022, Kuruvilla allegedly entered a criminal conspiracy with then General Manager of BECIL, WB Prasad, then Legal Advisor of BECIL, Ashish Pratap Singh, and Kanakia, with an intent to cheat BECIL to the tune of Rs 50 crore on the pretext of sanctioning and disbursing the venture loan to the Mumbai-based company under a consortium agreement and a general venture loan deal. In furtherance of the said criminal conspiracy, the accused officers of BECIL obtained a short-term corporate loan of Rs 80 crore from IREDA, out of which they disbursed Rs 50 lakh to TGBL in three tranches of Rs 12.50 crore, Rs 17.50 crore and Rs 20 crore respectively, on April 8, 2022; June 20, 2022 and December 30, 50 crore venture loan was disbursed to the accused company for a waste-to-energy project of the Pune Municipal Corporation, the CBI also uncovered that, in furtherance of said criminal conspiracy, Kanakia did not utilise the disbursed funds in the project for which the funds were released. He, instead, diverted most of the funds to his own use and paid undue advantage of Rs 2 crore in April 2022 and Rs 1 crore in April 2023 to the main accused misuse the remaining amount of the sanctioned and disbursed loan of Rs 80 crore by IREDA to BECIL, the accused officers of BECIL sanctioned additional funds of Rs 25 crore to TGBL. The original documents related to the project at BECIL were destroyed by the accused, the CBI accused received a forged performance bank guarantee dated November 28, 2022, of Rs 25 crore purportedly issued from the Punjab National Bank, in Mumbai's Ghatkopar (East) branch, the CBI said. After the disbursal of the venture loan of Rs 50 crore, they did not ensure the end use of the fund for the given purpose, and Kanakia did not repay the outstanding loan amount to Kuruvilla and WB Prasad of BECIL did not obtain collateral security from TGBL to secure the loan as per the loan agreement and in contravention of the terms and conditions of the venture loan agreement executed between both companies. The accused caused a wrongful loss of Rs 58.60 crore to BECIL, the CBI investigation the investigation, Kuruvilla, WB Prasad and Kanakia were arrested and sent to judicial InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Delhi
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
CBI files chargesheet against former CMD of BECIL, others in corruption case
The CBI has filed a chargesheet against George Kuruvilla , former chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) of BECIL , and others in connection with alleged bribery of Rs 3 crore and fraudulent disbursal of loan to a Mumbai-based firm TGBL, officials said Friday. The agency arrested Kuruvilla in April this year after nearly seven months of probe in the FIR registered by it. Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL) is a public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. In its findings submitted to a special court in Mumbai, the CBI has also named the then General Manager of BECIL WB Prasad, then Legal Advisor of the company, Ashish Pratap Singh, private company The Green Billions Limited (TGBL) and its then CEO Prateek Kanakia, they said. The CBI had registered an FIR in the case in September last year and went on to arrest Kuruvilla, Prasad and Kanakia this year in connection with the case, officials said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 Most Beautiful Female Athletes in the World Click Here According to the CBI chargesheet , the trio entered into a " criminal conspiracy " in 2022 "to cheat BECIL to the tune of Rs 50 crore on the pretext of sanctioning and disbursing a venture loan of Rs 50 crore" to TGBL under a consortium agreement dated March 10, 2022 and a General Venture Loan Agreement dated April 8, 2022. The CBI investigation showed that they obtained a short term corporate loan of Rs 80 crore from IREDA, out of which they disbursed Rs 50 crore to TGBL as venture loan for waste-to-energy project of Pune Municipal Corporation. Live Events "This amount of Rs 50 crore was disbursed in three tranches of Rs 12.50 crore, Rs 17.50 crore and Rs 20 crore respectively on April 8, 2022, June 20, 2022 and December 29 & 30, 2022," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement on Friday. The agency also found that Kanakia did not utilise the disbursed fund in the project for which the funds were released, instead, he diverted most of the funds to his own use and "paid undue advantage of Rs 2 crore in April, 2022 and Rs 1 crore April, 2023 to main accused George Kuruvilla, then CMD of BECIL," it said. It said the accused officials sanctioned and disbursed additional loan of Rs 25 crore to TGBL from the Rs 80 crore given by IREDA to BECIL, it said. "Further, the original documents related to project at BECIL were destroyed by the accused persons. Investigation uncovered that these accused persons received a forged Performance Bank Guarantee dated November 28, 2022 of Rs 25 crore purportedly issued from Punjab National Bank , Ghatkopar (East) Branch, Mumbai and after disbursal of the venture loan of Rs 50 crore, they did not ensure end use of the fund for the given purpose and accused CEO did not repay the outstanding loan amount to BECIL," the CBI statement said. The agency found that Kuruvilla and Prasad did not obtain collateral security from TGBL to secure the loan as per the loan agreement and in contravention with the terms and condition of the Venture loan agreement executed between BECIL and TGBL , it said.
Indian Express
23-04-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
ED conducts raids in Mumbai and Faridabad over BECIL money laundering case
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a case and raided seven locations in the city and one in Faridabad, as part of a money laundering probe, days after the CBI arrested the former CMD and a former GM of Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited. The former CMD George Kuruvilla is allegedly accused of sanctioning and disbursing the loan of Rs 50 crore loan to The Green Billions Limited (TGBL) in exchange for a Rs 3 crore loan was sanctioned for the Pune Waste Management Project of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), for which TGBL submitted a fake Performance Bank Guarantee (PBG) of Rs 25 crore. However, the firm neither utilized the loan amount for the sanctioned purpose nor repaid the loan to the funds were diverted to various entities and individuals unrelated to the PMC waste management project, and no project was implemented. According to ED officials, the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) was registered based on the offence filed by the CBI. During its investigation, the CBI found that in 2022, the accused were identified as Kuruvilla, former General Manager W.B. Prasad, then Legal Advisor Ashish Pratap Singh, former Consultant Sudhir Chauhan, CEO and Founder of M/s TGBL Prateek Kanakia, among others. 'In furtherance of this conspiracy, Kuruvilla sanctioned and facilitated the disbursement of a Rs 50 crore venture loan to M/s The Green Billions Limited (TGBL) and received an undue advantage of Rs 3 crore from co-accused Prateek Kanakia,' CBI officials stated. Officials alleged that Kanakia siphoned off the entire Rs 50 crore. In mid-2024, Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL), a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, filed a complaint after which a case was registered in September 2024 under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act for conspiracy, cheating, and forgery. In March, the CBI arrested Kanakia, followed by the arrests of Kuruvilla and Prasad last week. Meanwhile, the ED also launched a PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) investigation and, after analyzing the money trail and the proceeds of the crime, conducted searches at seven locations in Mumbai and one in Faridabad. 'Searches were conducted to trace the proceeds of crime and gather the incriminating evidence required for the PMLA investigation,' said ED officials.
