Special CBI court convicts 12 in EPFO fraud case

BHOPAL: Twelve persons, including five employees of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation ( EPFO), were convicted by a special CBI court here for fraudulently settling 11 PF claims amounting to Rs 44,74,895 by forging documents.

The court also imposed a total fine of Rs 50,70,000 on the accused.The sentence ranging from three years to maximum seven years was awarded by the Special CBI Judge, Manoj Kumar Shrivastava yesterday, a CBI release said.

The sentence was awarded recently under sections 120-B, 419, 201, 420, 467, 471 and 477-A of the IPC and section 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Those convicted include EPFO employees Pratap Singh, Gajendra Singh Chouhan, C T Joseph, R D Paranjpe and Ramchander (retired) besides other private persons identified as Rajendra Singh Thakur, Manish Gaur, Rakesh Kaushal, Ravi Khandare, Manoj Chouhan, Balram Chauhan and Rajesh Kumawat.

The case was registered by CBI on a the written complaint lodged by Manish Agnihotri, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-II EPFO Sub Regional Office, Bhopal.

The charge sheet in the case was filed on June 30, 2007.