CBI raids PSU chief in Uttarakhand housing scam

NEW DELHI: Cracking the whip on another public sector undertaking, the Central Bureau of Investigation on Sunday evening carried out massive raids on Hindustan Steelworks Construction Limited (HSCL) offices, its chairman-cum-managing director Moyukh Bhaduri, other officials of the PSU, and premises of a private company for alleged corruption in a group housing project in Uttarakhand.

CBI sources said several teams swung into action and carried out searches in New Delhi, Haryana, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh including HSCL's head office in Hastings, Kolkata and Bhaduri's premises and recovered incriminating documents.

According to the sources, the CMD is accused of indulging in corrupt practices with some private company(s) for the work of a group housing project in Dehradun, which was given to HSCL by Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA).

CBI sources said that HSCL, being a government undertaking, is given consultancy projects for central and state government projects for infrastructure, steel plants, thermal and hydel power plants and other civil engineering works.

Sources said that MDDA had given the contract for a group housing project to HSCL in which some private company was favoured leading to losses.

CBI officials refused to divulge more details on the contract, its worth and which private company and other officials of HSCL were involved in the process.

Despite repeated attempts, Bhaduri and other senior officials of HSCL could not be contacted for their comments but senior officials at the PSU confirmed that CBI teams had carried out raids at CMD's premises and company offices.

Bhaduri was appointed CMD of HSCL on April 2013 for a period of five years. Before becoming the director, he was posted as director (finance) there.

It was not known till Monday evening if any arrests had been made or enquiry was initiated on a complaint given by CVC or it was CBI's independent operation.