Multi-crore scam: BBMP stonewalls CID investigation

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike seems to be stonewalling a CID probe into the Rs 1,539-crore bogus bill scam, in which many officials and elected representatives are allegedly involved. The CID sleuths, who took over the probe in December 2011, are unable to make any headway as the Palike has not provided them with documents crucial for their investigation.

And the CID, it seems, may not get the documents as BBMP officials say they do not have them. So far, the CID sleuths have written 22 letters to various BBMP officials asking for 3,459 files related to various projects taken up by the BBMP from 2007 to 2010, in which irregularities were allegedly committed. Now, state police chief Lalrokhuma Pachau has written to BBMP Commissioner Rajneesh Goel, asking him to direct the officials to furnish all necessary details.

“Despite several letters, the BBMP officials are not providing the documents to the CID. That is delaying the probe,” Pachau said in his letter to Goel dated September 11. Pachau also said since February 2012, the CID sleuths had written 22 letters to the BBMP officials. Of them, 10 were addressed to the commissioner and others to BBMP executive engineers.