CBI seizes Diwali gifts from Mumbai labour commissioner office
By IANSThursday, November 4, 2010
MUMBAI - The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in surprise raids carried out on the offices of the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner, has recovered expensive Diwali gifts and cash, including electronic and silver items, an official said here Thursday.
The raids were carried out Wednesday at Shram Raksha Bhavan, the offices of the Dy.CLC on Sion-Trombay Road following tip-off that the labour officials were receiving gifts and cash from the employers or owners of various public and private companies, banks and other establishments with whom they had official dealings.
During the surprise check in the chambers of Dy.CLC R. Venkateshwarlu, Regional Labour Commissioner Pradeep K. Panigrahi, Assistant Labour Commissioners Prabhakar K. Ragade, Ramgopal Meena, S. Gunahari, and a secretarial staff, the CBI sleuths recovered gift boxes containing sweets, dry fruits, electronic items and silver items.
The CBI also recovered cash Rs.34,000 in four envelopes and gift vouchers.
The items and cash were presented by various banks, public sector undertakings, private companies and organizations like Kingfisher, Tata Communication, ATC India Tower Corporation, 3i Infotech, Lubrizol, Gammon India Ltd., Vodafone, Godrej, Larson & Toubro Ltd., Aircel and (Reliance Industries), according to the CBI.
Accepting gifts from clients make officials liable to charges of corruption, said investigators.
