CBI books BJP leader Mohit Kamboj, others for defrauding BoI of Rs 57 cr (Ld)
New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mohit Kamboj and four others for defrauding Bank of India to the tune of Rs 57.26 crore during 2013-2018, officials said on Wednesday.
However, the BJP leader denied the charges.
The multiple CBI teams also carried out searches at five locations, including the residence of the BJP Mumbai General Secretary Kamboj, who was also a former President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) in Mumbai. Kamboj was also the national president of Indian Bullion and Jewellery Association (IBJA) from 2012 to 2019.
According to the CBI FIR, Kamboj is named in the list of suspects as well as accused along with Jitendra Gulshan Kapoor, Naresh Madanji Kapor (now deceased), Sidhant Bagla and Irtesh Mishra which it registered on June 12 on a complaint from the bank.
The bank has alleged that Kamboj was guarantor and managing director in Avyan Overseas Pvt Ltd (now known as Bagla Overseas Pvt Ltd), engaged in manufacturing and export of handcrafted gold jewellery to Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong and other countries.
The CBI also filed an FIR against KBJ Hotels Goa Pvt Ltd and unidentified persons, including government servants and bank officials.
The CBI has registered the FIR under sections of criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery, passing forged documents as genuine of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act on a complaint from the bank.
The raids were also conducted at the office of the private company which led to recovery of certain incriminating documents including of property, loan, various bank account details and locker keys, a CBI official said.
The CBI said Avyaan Overseas Pvt Ltd represented by Kamboj and other public servants entered into a conspiracy with an intent to cheat the Bank of India’s Mid Corporate Branch in Mumbai in the matter of availing FB purchase or Foreign Bills Negotiation Limit and Export Packing Credit Limit.
In pursuance of the conspiracy, the CBI said, the overseas company allegedly got sanctioned and released facilities of Rs 60 crore. It was further alleged that after availing the limits, the accused company diverted the funds and prepared forged and fabricated documents in support of the claim causing loss to the tune of Rs 57.26 crore to the Bank of India, the CBI said.
Meanwhile, the Bank in its complaint to the CBI alleged that in 2015, an inspection of the company was conducted during which a number of irregularities were found.
“The bank then declared the loan as a Non Performing Asset on March 31, 2015 due to non-servicing of interest and continuous overdues position of bills,” the bank said in its complaint.
It further said that the Head Office fraud monitoring Unit of the bank red flagged the account ordering a forensic audit by Ernst and Young.
“In the forensic audit report submitted on March 31, 2017, it was pointed out that there was a diversion of loan funds to a sister concern, to other companies and there was even a flat purchase agreement between Aaksha Kamboj, wife of Kamboj and Pooja Construction owned by a noted film producer Vashu Bhagnani,” it said.
The bank accused the company of being indulged in transactions which were not genuine.
The auditor also pointed out other serious irregularities in the report and the account was declared fraud on June 19, 2018, it said.
Following the news of FIR on him, Kamboj, who changed his title as Bharatiya said that he has cleared his dues with the bank and even if the CBI wants to investigate then he will cooperate with full capacity.
“I have paid all the dues and the bank has issued no due Certificate! After Payment of dues and two and half years of closure of account if any agency wants to investigate, I as a citizen will cooperate with full capacity! Truth will Prevail!,” Kamboj said in a tweet, attaching the no dues certificate issued by the bank.
–IANS
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