Bhubaneswar: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has stepped up probe into alleged cheating and forgery by a firm from Hyderabad which was given contract for a Rs 65 crore housing project by the Paradip Port Authority (PPA).
Sources said CBI officials carried out searches at several locations in Hyderabad as well as Paradip as part of the investigation into the allegation.
A team of the CBI also conducted searches in the office of the Road and Buildings division of PPA and the residence of the executive engineer (civil) of the division as part of its investigation.
Hyderabad-based DNC Infrastructure Pvt Ltd as well as the PPA executive engineer Gangadhar Sethy have been named in the FIR by the central investigating agency.
The project, estimated at Rs 65.76 crore, entailed construction of 350 residential quarters for port employees and facilitation and reservation of land for future expansion of the port in Nuabazar area in Paradip.
The letter of intent was issued to DNC Infrastructure on 26 February 2024, requiring security deposits over Rs 2.63 crore, guaranteed by Indian Bank in Kolkata. However, these guarantees were reportedly fake, with fabricated email confirmations, leading to the erroneous work order issuance in June 2024.
Complaints from unpaid sub-contractors have further implicated him, prompting the CBI’s involvement. Despite a police report filed, the case maintained failed to make any headway and finally central authorities intervened.
As per the contract, commencement date of the project was June 21, 2024, and completion was supposed to be December 20, 2025.
During the search operation, the CBI officials have reportedly obtained certain crucial documents and digital evidence from both the PPA office and the executive engineer’s residence. Further investigation is in progress.
