New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested GAIL (India) Ltd's Director (Marketing) ES Ranganathan on Sunday in an alleged bribery and corruption case. The news comes a day after the CBI conducted raids at eight locations, including Ranganathan's Noida residence and his office, and recovered Rs 1.29 crore in cash, gold jewellery and other valuables. On January 15, the CBI had said in an FIR that Ranganathan is "indulging in corrupt and illegal activities" in criminal conspiracy with two other individuals, who acted as middlemen, by obtaining bribes from private companies for buying petrochemical products marketed by GAIL.
Ranganathan had assumed charge as GAIL's Director (Marketing) in July 2020.
Along with GAIL Director (Marketing) ES Ranganathan, five others have been named by the CBI in the FIR. The names include Pawan Gaur, Rajesh Kumar, N Ramakrishnan Nair, Saurabh Gupta of United Polymer Industries and Aditya Bansal of Bansal Agencies and others. During the searches conducted in Noida and Gurugram, the CBI also recovered Rs 75 lakh from Nair's residence, one of the accused in the case, a source told PSU Watch. "Source has further informed that at the direction of Shri Rajesh Kumar, Shri Pawan Gaur had asked Shri E.S. Ranganathan for allowing some discount to the buyers on petro-chemical products being marketed by GAIL in lieu of illegal gratification," said the FIR.
"Source has further informed that Shri Rajesh Kumar and Shri Pawan Gaur had met Shri E.S. Ranganathan at his residence… for the said purpose. Sh. Pawan Gaur informed Sh. Rajesh Kumar on 13.12.2021 that the proposed matter of discount is being considered at GAIL. Source has further informed that in order to collect bribe amount, Shri Rajesh Kumar had further contacted other parties/dealers, who would be the prospective beneficiaries of discount, after the final decision is taken in GAIL on issuance of the discount order. Both Shri Pawan Gaur and Shri Rajesh Kumar also met Shri E.S. Ranganathan on 14.12.2021 at Hotel Leela, Delhi in this context," the FIR added.
"Source has further informed that on 17.12.2021, Sh. Rajesh collected the demanded bribe amount from beneficiary private parties and delivered it to Sh. Pawan Gaur for Shri E.S. Ranganathan. Source has further informed that on 18.12.2021, on the direction of Shri E.S. Ranganathan, Sh. N. Ramakrishnan Nair R/o B-104, GF, Mayfield Garden, Sector 50, Gurgaon, Haryana has collected the said amount of Rs. 40 Lakh from the residence of Sh. Pawan Gaur. Thereafter on 20.12.2021, Shri Pawan Gaur pursued Shri E.S. Ranganathan for issuance of order, on which he had told him that he would sign after returning from Mumbai," said the FIR.
"Source has further informed that in furtherance of the said conspiracy, Sh. Rajesh Kumar also entered into negotiation with two more prospective beneficiary parties/dealers other than the previous ones, namely Sh. Saurabh Gupta of M/s United Polymer Industries, 136-140/85, Phase-1, Industrial Area Chandigarh and Sh. Aditya Bansal of M/s Bansal Agencies, Khasra No. 75911, Near Brij Complex, Pingli Chowk, Kaithal Road, Karnal, Haryana and convinced them for paying bribe in exchange for the favourable orders," the FIR added.
"The above acts of demand & obtaining undue advantage by the above named public servant and private parties disclose commission of cognizable offence punishable under Section 7,7A, B, 9 and 10 of the Prevention ofCorruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) rlw 72OB of IPC on the part of (i) Sh. E.S. Ranganathan, Director (Marketing) GAIL, (ii) Sh. Pawan Gaur, (iii) Sh. Rajesh Kumar, (iv) Sh. N. Ramakrishnan Nair, (v) Sh. Saurabh Gupta, (vi) M/s United Polymer Industries, (vii) Sh. Aditya Bansal, (viii) M/s Bansal Agencies and other (ix) unknown public servants and private persons. Hence, a regular case is registered… ," said the CBI.
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