ED attaches bribe amount seized from Army officers, pvt contractors at Ambala Cantonment

PTI, Dec 19, 2023, 7:33 PM IST

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The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday said it has attached Rs 22.48 lakh ”bribe” amount that was seized by the CBI during a trap laid against the Army officials posted at the Ambala Cantonment in Haryana and some private contractors in 2022.

”This proceeds of crime was the bribe amount given by Dinesh Kumar, the director of Mahagouri Electricals Pvt Ltd, and Praveen Jain, beneficial owner of the firm Pee Jay Enterprises to Military Engineering Service (MES) officials Subedar Major Pradeep Kumar and Lt Col Rahul Arvind Pawar,” the federal agency said in a statement.

The two were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 20 last year from the Ambala Cantonment ”while accepting bribes of Rs 22.48 lakh from co-accused Dinesh Kumar and others”.

While Lt Col Pawar was posted as the senior barracks store officer (MES), his deputy Subedar Major Pradeep Kumar was also in the same wing.

Lt Col Pawar and Subedar Major Kumar, both officials of MES at the Ambala Cantt., by virtue of their official position ”ensured that Dinesh Kumar got most of the orders issued from MES Ambala and had taken Rs 22.48 lakh as bribe (commission) from the private contractors (Dinesh Kumar and Praveen Jain)”, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said.