Second CBI charge-sheet soon against Mallya, to name officials
New Delhi, Sep 17 : The CBI will name some bank officials in its second charge-sheet to be filed soon against fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya in a Rs 9,000-crore loan default case against him and his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, informed sources said.
Both serving and retired senior officials of a consortium of 17 banks, including the SBI, who had handled the Kingfisher Airlines loans, are to be named as accused in the charge-sheet as the CBI has gathered enough evidence against them on misuse of official position, the sources said.
The charge-sheet will mention the details of loan fraud committed by Mallya against a consortium of 17 banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI), said the sources, adding that some of these loans were granted despite Kingfisher's low creditworthiness and overvaluation of some securities.
Kingfisher began defaulting on loans beginning 2009-10.
According to the sources, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has come across the role of some senior bank officials in the irregularities while disbursing these loans.
The then Chief Managing Directors of banks -- O.P. Bhatt (SBI), T.S. Narayanaswami (Bank of India), M.D. Mallya (Bank of Baroda), S.K. Goel (UCO Bank), and then Chairman of United Bank -- are to be named in the charge-sheet against whom action was not taken in 2009 when a loan of Rs 2,000 crore was sanctioned to Kingfisher, said the sources.
"Bhatt is learnt to have led the consortium to offer the Rs 2,000 crore loan and also ensured that the SBI have a loan of Rs 300 crore on an ad hoc basis in August 2010."
Ex-Kingfisher Airlines Chief Financial Officer A. Raghunathan and other former senior executives are also likely to be named in the charge-sheet.
Mallya is currently facing extradition from London where he flew on March 2, 2016.
The CBI last year had filed a charge-sheet against Mallya in a separate case related to a Rs 900 crore pending loan given by IDBI Bank in which senior officials of the bank were allegedly involved.
The probe agency had registered two cases against Mallya related to the IDBI loans in 2015 and a consortium loan in 2016.
The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, which is probing the money laundering aspect in the case, have named IDBI officials B.K. Batra, Yogesh Agarwal, O.V. Bundelu, S.K Shrivastava and R.S. Sridhar in their charge sheets last year.
The CBI FIR alleged that the SBI and its consortium banks had advanced various credit facilities to Kingfisher Airlines between 2005 and 2010.
During 2009-10, the company failed to meet its repayment commitments to the banks.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
