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Rao, a scientist with RAW’s technical division, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday night. He was picked up from a hotel in Karol Bagh, while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from a senior official of the southern company, Titanium. Rao had allegedly demanded Rs 8 lakh for an export licence the firm required to send goods worth Rs 4.5 crore to Qatar, the CBI told the court.
Monday’s amount was the first payment, it said.
The CBI contended that Rao was in constant touch with the firm and had also threatened the complainant — the firm’s chief managing director — of not processing the file if he did not pay up. The CBI further said the company picked up Rao’s hotel bill when he stayed at Chennai’s Le Meridian in mid January.
To this, Rao told the court: “The complainant (Titanium) had borne the miscellaneous expenses of Le Meridian at Chennai not only for my stay but also for other officials who were staying there.” This statement by Rao, CBI sources said, has bolstered the probe agency’s argument that there is a “racket of officials involved in minting money by abusing their positions”.
CBI officer S Bhattacharya, who is monitoring the investigation, told the judge that Rao and other officers had not paid the hotel expenses. Bhattacharya then requested Additional Sessions Judge P K Saxena to grant three days of police remand to investigate the probable role of other RAW officials in taking illegal gratification. The court granted the remand.
In his defence, Rao told ASJ Saxena he was being implicated because the company did not get the export licence. Rao said: “An official of the company forcefully put money in my pocket and there was no independent witness with the CBI to prove the case.”
When Bhattacharya reminded him about the stay at Le Meridian, Rao — an officer of Director level — shot back saying he was not the only one who had accepted the company’s hospitality.
The CBI then told the judge: “This is why we want his custodial interrogation. We have reasons to suspect others were involved too.”
Another city court on Saturday had declared RAW’s Rabinder Singh as proclaimed offender. Singh, an officer in the rank of a joint secretary, reportedly defected to America in 2004 and has remained elusive ever since.
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This is the proverbial tip of the monster of an iceberg of corruption in India with its complicated rules and regulations for every activity.Just look at rice exports under so-called export licences.Only certain varieties of non-Basmati rice are allowed but Basmati rice is freely exported.Now rice exporters in collusion with customs' corrupt officials export superior non-basmati as 25% broken ( to comply with rules ) or pay export duty and export same superior non-Basmati as Basmati rice as NRIs are hooked on this rice for more than 10 years.De-regulation of all laws ,especially the poor,is urgently required.In a globalised world with better transport putting such restrictions will NOT work though politicians never tire of boasting they can control EVERYTHING.Corruption multiplies with each flexible regulation when discretion is exercised by government officials.India is the toughest place not only to do business but to live as well.I experienced it for 2 months last year.
I cannot understand how a RAW scientist be taking money from an export firm in return for a favour of issuing an export licence. RAW is not a foreign trade licencing department of the government of India. It is not invested with the authority to issue licences. RAW is a foreign intelligence gathering organization. Issue of permits for import or export is the function of the Ministry of Commerce and not of the RAW. There is something more in the deal than meets of the eye. The CBI has not clarified as to how a RAW scientist got involved in a racket that the organization has little to do with.
All Big personalities like People in Army,IPS,IAS are involved in anti-National activities, like drug smuggling,buying RDX for bomb explosions,doing official favours, bringing Arms like AK-47,Hand granades,rocket launchers etcs in 5 Star hotels, Letting Insurgents from across the borders. One thing I want to ask how the Insurgets from neighbouring countries entering India and creating trouble in the country? Thats due to corrupt officials every where. Army is buying RDX from miletants (Ex:To carry out Malegoan blast). I dont know where these people takes the country
This is the tip of the iceberg. Times and again it has been proved that these officers who belong to a particular community have been found in illegal and unlawful activities and now it is again evident that RAW official has been nabbed and he is giving the account of many more involvement. How can India be safe if such persons are serving in intelligence agencies. These officers will never have any hesitation to compromise the National Security and because of such officers India is suffering. Why such corrupt officials should not be branded as traitors and how long Indian Government will be discriminating for not deploying muslims in such agencies. This is a proven fact that the integrity of such official is doubtful and should be sent behind the bars. Such officials are the real perpetrator of terrorism in India as they can go to any length for the sake of bribe. Alarming bell for Government to act,
This highly disgracefull and shame be upon the man of such a reputation and position. Under such circumstances, the Govt. of India should form rules to confiscate the properties of even kiths and kins of such criminals. Whole nation trusted him while he was posted in such a responsible organisation. His children should immediately disown him, his wife should seek divorce from such corrupt person, the neighbours should stop talking to him, shopkeepers should stop selling their commodities to him.
With people like Narayan Rao in office no wonder our intelligence and security systems are in the dismal state they are in. Obviously the people in charge can be easily bought. They might even be selling sensitive information and trading with the lives of a billion people just for a stay in a five star hotel. Pathetic.