The CBI is getting a forensic analysis done of the voice samples collected during its covert operation to bust an alleged racket of Navy officers and businessmen involved in the leak and sale of confidential information pertaining to the force.
The agency has sent the voice samples to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) and the results are awaited, an officer privy to the development said.
The CBI is probing allegations that confidential information pertaining to procurement and maintenance of naval equipment was leaked for pecuniary benefits and charges of bribery in a deal for mine laying saddles from Allen Reinforced Plastics Limited, a Hyderabad-based company, sources close to PTI said.
The agency arrested TP Sastry, the executive director of the company, on September 8 after his alleged role in the bribery surfaced, they added.
The CBI has sought sanction from the Centre to slap charges under the Official Secrets Act in the case of leakage of sensitive documents related to acquisition of submarines' equipment being deliberated in the Navy and other related information, officials said.
The central agency had carried out raids on retired naval officers Commodore Randeep Singh and Commander Satwinder Jeet Singh on September 2 after getting information that the latter was going to share crucial details related to a meeting in the Navy on the procurement of hulls. Both were arrested on the same day.
Satwinder Jeet Singh, who was working at the Directorate of Submarine Acquisition (DSMAQ) and who opted for voluntary retirement on July 31, provided regular information on internal deliberations related to tenders on maintenance and procurement of naval equipment to Randeep Singh in return for monthly payments, the FIR alleges.
The CBI has accused the two retired naval officers of obtaining illicit money for themselves as well as for others by sharing "secret information of internal files for processing and passing of tender related to procurement and maintenance" of the Navy with private international companies, according to the sources privy to the FIR.
The agency had received an input that on August 16, Randeep Singh had sought "the main report of a meeting held in the Navy office regarding the procurement of three hulls" from Satwinder Jeet Singh, according to the FIR.
Satwinder Jeet Singh sought the clearance of his previous dues of over Rs 2.9 lakh from Randeep Singh before handing over the document and the latter promised to clear the dues on September 2, it alleges.
The CBI filed two chargesheets last week -- one against Randeep Singh and Satwinder Jeet Singh and another against serving Commander Ajeet Kumar Pandey, three executives of Allen Reinforced Plastics Limited (Sastry and directors NB Rao and K Chandrasekhar) and the company, in addition to the two retired officer named in the first chargesheet.
The agency has arrested six people -- the two retired naval officers, Pandey, another serving officer under him and two private individuals -- in an operation that started on September 3.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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