The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has started to probe allegations of disproportionate assets against former Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) secretary Ramesh Abhishek.
The 1982-batch IAS officer has been accused of amassing wealth many times more than his last-drawn salary. The officer, considered close to former finance minister P Chidambaram, retired from DPIIT (erstwhile Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion) in 2019.
The CBI raided Abhishek’s Delhi residence on Tuesday after registering a First Information Report (FIR) under section 12, 13 (2), 13(1) (d) , 13 (1) (e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and section 120b and 109 for illicit enrichment, criminal misconduct by public servant, criminal conspiracy and abetment.
The FIR also names his daughter, Vaneesa, and unknown others. It is based on a complaint made to Lokpal that Abhishek favoured at least 16 private companies during his tenure as the secretary of DPIIT.
Post retirement, these companies allegedly paid crores in cash as quid pro quo. The payment allegedly was made as consultancy fees for the retired bureaucrat. Abhishek’s South Delhi house in Greater Kailash is also under the scanner. The complaint to Lokpal alleges that close to Rs 8 crore in cash was paid for this house.
“The Lokpal has asked the CBI to conduct investigation into doubtful transactions by Ramesh Abhishek and his daughter Vaneesa Aggarwal by way of receiving big amounts as professional fee or consulting fee from various entities/organisations with whom Shri Abhishek had official dealing while he was secretary DPIIT or Chairman Forward market Commission and investing amounts in property(house number with held), Great Kailash which were outcome of doubtful sudden rise in earlier investments of family in immovable properties or sudden increase in business income in short period,” the FIR states.
An investigating official said that as per the affidavit filed by Ramesh before Lokpal, he earned Rs 2.7 crore as professional consultancy fee in just 15 months since his retirement. This is much higher than the monthly salary (approximately 2.25 lakh) that Ramesh would have earned at the time of retirement.
The CBI is probing the allegations that Abhishek misused his position and got his daughter appointed in various firms as consultant who could help with Government of India initiatives such as Ease of Doing Business or Make in India.
The complaint alleges that Abhishek was close to Chidambaram and got promoted to the post of Forward Markets Commission (FMC) Chairman by Chidambaram. The trail of corruption, the complaint alleges, began when he got five extensions in the post owing to his alleged closeness to then Finance Minister.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also examining allegations of money laundering against Abhishek.
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