CBI Files Corruption Charges Against 15 Officers of Defence Ministry Unit in 11 Cases
Alleged Offenses Exposed During Joint Surprise Check at Nashik Office on November 13, 2024
Mumbai: CBI Files 11 Corruption Cases Against 15 Defence Ministry Officials
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has opened 11 independent corruption cases against 15 officials working in the Pay and Accounts (ORS) division of the Artillery/Army Aviation Centre (AAC) in Nashik. This unit reports to the Ministry of Defence’s Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA). The officers are accused of accepting and asking for bribes, often through middlemen, from army men in return for releasing allowances and entitlements.
The suspected malpractice came to light during a Joint Surprise Check on November 13, 2024, in the Nashik office, involving independent witnesses and Pune-based Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Army) officials. The Pune team was dispatched by the CGDA’s vigilance wing in New Delhi based on credible intelligence of unethical activities by personnel dealing with pay and allowances of Artillery and Army Aviation personnel.
CBI sources unmasked that policemen were reportedly demanding unlawful bribes in several cases to speed up valid claims and, in a few instances, to settle non-justified claims based on law. These allegations are being thoroughly probed.
During the surprise raid, investigators collected substantial evidence, including incriminating WhatsApp chats of some of the suspects. The chats purportedly laid out demands and deals pertaining to acceptance of bribes for doing government work.The phones with these chats have been seized and now fall under the CGDA’s Vigilance Department.
As part of a string of coordinated actions on Tuesday, CBI authorities carried out searches at different locations linked to the accused, such as places in Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Ahmedabad, Fatehabad, and Nagpur.
Some of the accused officials are auditor and assistant accounts officer ranks who are posted at the CGDA office in Nashik. It is suspected that they colluded with officials from the Record Office of Artillery and AAC who remain unidentified to illegally benefit from some army personnel by manipulating “Casualty” (Daily Part-II) orders—official documents that play a key role in facilitating pay entitlements.
As the probe continues, the role of more personnel may also be questioned, as CBI seeks to reveal the extent of the corruption ring in the Defense Ministry unit.
