Bhubaneswar: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI has reportedly registered a case against one of its own officials in connection with alleged irregularities in the mines of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) in Odisha’s Sundargarh district.
As per information, the Delhi unit has filed an FIR against an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) posted in the Bhubaneswar office.
Sources said the development follows collection of fresh information during raids conducted by officials from Delhi CBI at MCL premises in Sundargarh district on Saturday.
The accused, identified as Prashant Kumar Palei, is serving as an in CBI’s Bhubaneswar office. He has come under scanner for allegedly collecting money from Sarada Prasad Sethi, dispatch officer of MCL’s Garjanbahal open-cast project in the Basundhara area of Sundargarh district.
It is alleged that Sethi misused his official position to illegally get financial gains from various coal extractors. As per allegation, Palei accepted money to provide protection to Sethi from the CBI and other investigating agencies. It is further alleged that Palei accepted bribe money through the bank accounts of his son, wife, and close associates.
On the basis of preliminary findings, the CBI registered a case against ASI Prashant Kumar Palei, Sarada Prasad Sethi, and several others, and intensified investigation. A three-member team of the Delhi CBI conducted raids at MCL in Sundargarh in connection with the case.
As part of the investigation, search operations were conducted at several places, including Berhampur, Bhubaneswar, and Rourkela, during which important documents were reported to have been seized by the investigators.
