CBI Books Senior BSNL Officials For Cheating, Searches 25 Locations

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday conducted 25 searches at multiple locations in connection with an FIR registered against 21 officials of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL), including a former general manager, according to a media report on Saturday.

It added the investigation agency alleged that a conspiracy was planned by the accused officer with a contractor to cheat BSNL. Following this an FIR was registered against Assam officials, BSNL Circle, including a former general manager, deputy general manager, assistant general manager and chief accounts officer in Jorhat, Sibsagar, Guwahati and other places, the report stated.

Some private names were also included in the FIR, reports claimed.

The conspiracy was based on a contract work order for laying National Optical Fibre Network Cable through an open trenching method at Rs 90,000 per km, as per reports. 

The alleged contractor made different pleas. He stated there was a problem from private landowners, difficulties in the open trenching method to horizontal directional drilling method at Rs 2.30 lakh per km in spite of the right way provision, easement clauses on the contract, etc that contributed to approximately Rs 22 crore loss to the BSNL.