CBI Books Director Marketing Of GAIL In Rs. 40 Lakhs Bribery Case : Complete Details
Seven individuals involved in the bribery case also booked under Prevention of Corruption Act
The Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) today booked E.S. Ranganathan, Director (Marketing) of major gas PSU, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), in connection of an alleged case of bribery. The premier investigating agency carried out raids in many locations belonging or related to Ranganathan in the Delhi NCR area.
Information was received by the CBI that E.S. Ranganathan, Director Marketing of Gail was An information has been received through reliable source that Sh. E.S. Ranganathan, Director (Marketing), Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL), was indulging into corrupt and illegal activities in criminal conspiracy with One Pawan Gaur, a private person R/o 4B-M, 1st Floor, Vikas Group Housing Society, Pitampura, New Delhi and One Rajesh Kumar R/o Anand Vihar, Pitampura, New Delhi, Director of M/s Rishab Polychem Pvt. Ltd, having registered oflice at 43161 8 Saini Market, Bahudargarh Road, Delhi, who are acting as his middleman, by obtaining bribe from the private companies buying petro chemical products marketed by the GAIL.
It was further revealed that at the direction of Rajesh Kumar, Pawan Gaur had asked Shri E,S.Ranganathan for allowing some discount to the buyers on petro-chemical products being marketed by GAIL in lieu of illegal gratification. Rajesh Kumar and Pawan Gaur had met E.S.Ranganathan at his residence located at 90, Duplex-2, Rajat Vihar, Sec.-62, NOIDA on 11 ,12.2021 for the said purpose.
Pawan Gaur informed Rajesh Kumar on 13,t2,2021 that the proposed matter of discount is being considered at GAIL. Source has further informed that in order to collect bribe amount, Shri Rajesh Kumar had further contacted .
other parties/dealers, who would be the prospective beneliciaries of discount, after the final decision is taken in GAIL on issuance of the discount order. Both Pawan Gaur and Rajesh Kumar also met E.S.Ranganathan on
14.72.2021 at Hotel Leela, New Delhi in this context.
On 17.12.2O2I, Sh. Rajesh collected the demanded bribe amount from beneficiary private parties and delivered it to Pawan Gaur for E.S.Ranganathan. Source has further informed that on 18.12.2021, on the direction of E.S. Ranganathan, One N. Ramakrishnan Nair R/o B-104, GF, Mayfield Garden, Sector 50, Gurgaon, Haryana has collected the said amount of Rs. 40 Lakh from the residence of Pawan Gaur. Thereafter on 20.12.2021, Pawan Gaur pursued E.S.Ranganathan for issuance of order, on which he had told him that he would sign after returning from Mumbai.
Sources said that Rajesh Kumar also entered into negotiation with two more prospective beneficiary parties/dealers other than the previous ones, namely Saurabh Gupta of M/s United Polymer Industries, 136-140/85, Phase-1, Industrial Area Chandigarh and Aditya Bansal of M/s Bansal Agencies, Khasra No. 75911, Near Brij Complex, Pingli Chowk, Kaithal Road, Karnal, Haryana and convinced them for paying bribe in exchange for the favourable orders.
On 13.01.2022, Rajesh Kumar requested Saurabh Gupta for fulfilling his commitment for issuance of the discount order by GAIL and also informed that E S Ranganathan had demanded 15 lakhs for such favour but he has now agreed to take Rs.12 Lakhs.
Sources said that Pawan Gaur also asked Saurabh Gupta to send the demanded bribe amount at the earliest. It is also informed that Shri Saurabh Gupta had already given Rs. 3 lakhs to Rajesh Kumar as bribe for said purpose and he would be sending Rs. 9.20 lakhs through hawala channel on 14,01.2022.
Source has further informed that on 14.01.2022, Aditya Bansal of M/s Bansal Agencies, Khasra No.759i 1, Near Brij Complex, Pingli Chowk, Kaithal Road, Karnal, Haryana has also given some amount to Rajesh Kumar for E S Ranganathan. It was further revealed that E.S. Ranganathan on the request of Pawan Gaur and Rajesh Kumar got some checks conducted in the month of November, 2O2t in the premises of some authorised stockists of GAIL. However, before the said surprise check, E.S. Ranganathan had also cautioned some of his favoured parties.
The above acts of demand & obtaining undue advantage by the above named public servant and private parties disclose commission of cognizable offence punishable under Section 7,7A, B, 9 and 10 of the Prevention of
Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) rlw 72OB of IPC on the part of (i) E.S. Ranganathan, Director (Marketing) GAIL, (ii) Pawan Gaur, (iii) Rajesh Kumar, (iv) N. Ramakrishnan Nair, (v) Saurabh Gupta, (vi) M/s United Polymer Industries, (vii) Aditya Bansal, (viii) M/s Bansal Agencies and other (ix) unknown public servants and private persons.
Prior to joining GAIL as Director (Marketing), Ranganathan served as Managing Director of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL).
