PANJIM: Booked for amassing ill-gotten wealth to the tune of Rs 21.95 lakh approximately, Intelligence Officer of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) sub-zonal unit in Goa, Bhanu Pratap is also being probed for extorting money from alleged drug traffickers, shack operators and night clubs.
The Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) Goa has found that Pratap does not hold the image of an upright officer ever since his posting in Goa in 2015. “As per the source information received, the general reputation of Bhanu Pratap is reported to be very bad and he indulges in corrupt activities of collection of bribe from the shack owners in Goa, who organise late night parties; night clubs and also from persons illegally dealing in drugs,” the probe reveals.
The CBI ACB has booked the officer, hailing from Kanpur and his wife Harni Priya, a native of Coimbatore for offences punishable under Sections 109 of the Indian Penal Code and 13 (2) read with Section 13(1)(b)of Prevention of Corruption Act. His official residence in the BSNL quarters, the NCB office at Porvorim and Kanpur residence were raided on Tuesday, as a part of the nationwide crackdown on corruption and arms smuggling cases. Priya also came under the radar of the central investigation agency as the alleged illegal funds were being transferred to her bank account since 2015, before the two tied the knot in 2017. Reliable sources state that regular deposits were made into her account almost every month while there were hardly any withdrawals from their accounts, even for their day-today expenses.
The investigation, so far, has also unearthed that Pratap had paid monthly flat rent of Rs 1.80 lakh from January 2017, in cash. “There was no withdrawal from the bank accounts during this period which indicates that ill-gotten money was used for pay the flat rents and manage the expenditure,” the source said.
To cover up his alleged illegal activity, Pratap is said to have been making small cash deposits and converting the salary into a number of RDs and FDRs. “He had been encashing the RDs prematurely and subsequently making huge investments in shares and mutual funds to show the inflated source of income,” the source added.
While he was transferred from Delhi to Goa in January 2015, the NCB officer has completed just eight years of government service. The CBI ACB is likely to summon the husband-wife duo for investigation, as assets during his posting in Goa from January 2015 to November 2018 are being probed.
