A Special CBI Court in Mumbai has sentenced five individuals, including former officials of the National Textile Corporation (NTC) Western Region, to rigorous imprisonment (RI) ranging from 1 to 2 years for their involvement in a fraud case. The court also imposed a total fine of ₹1.25 lakh on the convicted individuals.
Who Are the Convicted Individuals?
The convicted persons include four public servants and one private transporter:
- Sunil Dattatray Satam – Former Admin In-Charge (Officer on Special Duty), National Textile Corporation (Western Region), Mumbai
- Sadanand Jagannath Vardam – Former Assistant Manager, Finlay Mill
- Arun Atmaram Belnekar – Former Accounts Officer, Finlay Mills
- Anant Dhondu Mahadik – Former Accounts Officer
- Ananda Yashwant Sable – Private Transporter
Court Verdict
- The four public officials – Satam, Vardam, Belnekar, and Mahadik – were sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment (RI) along with a fine of ₹25,000 each.
- The private transporter, Ananda Yashwant Sable, was sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and a fine of ₹25,000.
How Was the Fraud Committed?
The CBI registered the case on January 6, 2014, based on allegations that the NTC officials conspired with the private transporter to cheat the corporation.
- Manipulated Transport Contracts
- Instead of following a proper tender process, the accused officials directly assigned a transportation contract to Ananda Yashwant Sable, violating official procedures.
- Fake Transport Vouchers
- Sable, in collusion with the officials, falsified transportation vouchers, claiming to have moved goods from Digvijay Mill (Finlay No.2 Mill) to Finlay Mill No.1, Parel, Mumbai.
- This led to a wrongful loss of ₹37 lakh to the NTC and an unjust financial gain for the accused.
Investigation and Trial
- After a detailed investigation, the CBI filed a charge sheet on December 30, 2014 against the accused.
- The court framed charges on November 13, 2017.
- During the trial, 21 prosecution witnesses were examined, and strong evidence was presented to prove the charges.
Final Verdict
After evaluating the evidence, the court found all the accused guilty and sentenced them accordingly. This case highlights the serious consequences of corruption and misuse of power, reinforcing the importance of accountability and legal action against fraudulent practices.
