CBI likely to examine high ranking officers in cabinet secretariat in SFF procurement

NEW DELHI: Probing alleged irregularities in the supply and installation of the pre-fabricated shelters for elite Special Frontier Forces of R&AW, Central Bureau of Investigation is likely to soon examine a few directors, under secretaries and even joint secretaries of the cabinet secretariat who served there between 2009 and 2012, sources have told TOI.The agency is probing how Shambhu Prasad Singh, a close aide of union minister Gen (Retd) V K Singh, managed to get the tenders in two phases in favour of a company – Sai Baba Builders and Consultants - headed by his associates and wife.
CBI says that three companies – Sai Baba Builders and Consultants, Rockside Impex Pvt Ltd and Dynamic Shells Ltd, having same directors, applied for the tenders and there were no competitors. CBI suspects that the tender was not put online for other companies to apply for the supply of high-altitude tents and the accused company was informed in advance by somebody from SFF or cabinet secretariat, said a source.
“The cabinet secretariat directly deals with R&AW. The accused persons got access to information about such tender from somebody in cabinet secretariat. The documents of application were not properly checked and ownership of three companies, having same directors, was not verified. Subsequently, the cabinet secretariat officers dealing with the procurement didn’t even check that the company had not provided any bank guarantee,” said a source.
CBI has named unknown officials of cabinet secretariat and SFF in its FIR registered on Wednesday and quid pro quo is being investigated as the company gained Rs 21.6 crore in the supply of tents in two phases.
During raids at tainted former defence contractor S P Singh’s house on Wednesday, CBI had recovered incriminating documents which are being examined to unearth the conspiracy.
CBI has alleged that company was favoured by tweaking the tender conditions, cartelization of firms and no bank guarantee was provided.
Agency says the tenders worth Rs 21.6 crores (approx) were given to the company in two phases, 2009-2011 and 2010-2014. CBI has named Sai Baba Builders and Consultants and its three directors Shyam Sunder Bhatter, J P N Singh and Manjari, who is the wife of S P Singh and unknown officers of cab sec and SFF in the FIR which is filed under sections of cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and Prevention of Corruption Act.
S P Singh has not been named in the FIR yet but sources say his role is being investigated.