GAIL ex-Director (Marketing) ES Ranganathan had disproportionate assets of Rs 4.82 cr: CBI

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked state-run GAIL’s former Director (Marketing) ES Ranganathan for allegedly owning assets — totalling Rs 4.82 crore — disproportionate to his known sources of income between 2017 and 2022. In its First Information Report (FIR) filed on April 19 in the bribery case involving Ranganathan, the CBI said, “Sh ES Ranganathan during his posting in IGL & GAIL (India) Ltd has intentionally enriched himself illicitly and acquired assets (both movable and immovable) by corrupt and illegal means in his name and in the name of his wife…”

The CBI has registered a disproportionate assets and abetment case against the former Director (Marketing) of GAIL. Prior to becoming Director (Marketing) at GAIL in July 2020, Ranganathan had served as Managing Director (MD) at IGL between May 2016 to June 2020.

Between Jan 2017 & Jan 2022, Ranganathan’s income was Rs 5.44 cr

“…the income of Sh ES Ranganathan through his salary and other sources of income was to the tune of Rs 5,44,30515/ and his expenditure was total Rs 4,02,83,712. The assets worth Rs 4,82,70,308 are calculated as disproportionate to the known sources of income of Sh ES Ranganathan,” said the FIR. The former GAIL Director had five immovable properties under his and his wife’s name, in addition to cash of Rs 1.29 crore, gold, jewellery, foreign currencies and huge balance in several bank accounts, said the CBI. The CBI enquiry examined Ranganathan’s financials between January 1, 2017 and January 17, 2022.

Bribery case

The CBI had arrested Ranganathan on January 16, 2022 in a bribery and corruption case. The probe agency had said that Ranganathan was “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.

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