The CBI filed two separate chargesheets against six persons on Tuesday, including a serving Indian Navy commander and two retired officers, for allegedly leaking information about a current submarines project in exchange for unlawful gratification. The agency detained five persons in September, including active and former Indian navy officers, and has since arrested one additional serving officer.
Commander Ajit Kumar Pandey, Commander (retired) SJ Singh, and Commodore (Retired) Randeep Singh have been charged, along with three private people who are office bearers of a Hyderabad-based firm that wanted the information, according to CBI sources. Various parts of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act have been used to charge them.
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Allen Reinforced Plastics Ltd Executive Director TP Shastri, as well as corporate directors NV Rao and K Chandrashekhar, have been identified as the three private people. The police exchanged business information with a few private companies. One of these is Korean, a language with which one of the detained former officers was familiar. The probe is still ongoing, according to a CBI officer.
On September 2, the CBI conducted searches at 19 sites throughout the country, including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Visakhapatnam, where vital papers and digital evidence were taken. According to authorities, the same is being forensically analysed. They further said that during the searches, the CBI discovered Rs 2.4 crore in cash at Randeep Singh’s home. A CBI official added, “This includes Rs 2.9 lakh trap money that he was receiving from SJ Singh.”
The commanders, who were working at the Western Naval Command in Mumbai, are believed to have revealed vital data regarding the ongoing modernisation project of Kilo-class submarines with the two retired officers for suspected illicit payoff, according to sources. According to reports, the team has questioned numerous additional officers and ex-servicemen who had regular contact with the detained officer and retired people.
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The Navy is also conducting an internal investigation into the situation. According to sources, the Navy has formed a high-level investigative group led by a Vice Admiral to investigate how information was leaked and make recommendations for corrective action. According to reports, the investigative committee includes a rear admiral among others.
