Goa’s ex-chief secy sentenced to 2-yr jail for fraud, gets bail

Goa’s ex-chief secy sentenced to 2-yr jail for fraud, gets bail

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Panaji:01.12.2020

A special CBI court in New Delhi has sentenced former chief secretary of Goa R K Srivastava to two years rigorous imprisonment and Rs 35,000 fine in a case pertaining to the revival of a defunct housing society in Delhi using forged documents, the agency said in a statement.

Later, he secured bail in the case.

Srivastava was convicted for his involvement in the revival of Delhi-based Shree Radhakrishna Co-op Group Housing Society Ltd when he was the registrar of co-operative societies, New Delhi, the agency said.

He was charged for entering into a criminal conspiracy with officials of co-operative societies, New Delhi, to revive the society on the basis of false/forged/bogus documents, CBI statement said.

The court directed Srivastava and Padam Dutt Sharma, the then deputy registrar of co-operative societies, New Delhi, to undergo two years RI with a fine of Rs 35,000 each. It also sentenced three others—Subhash Chander and Mayank Goswami to undergo four years RI with fine of Rs 25,000 and Ashwani Sharma to undergo four years RI with fine of Rs 30,000—in the case.

Following the orders of the Delhi high court, CBI had registered a case on October 26, 2006, against Chander and others.

Srivastava was chief secy of Goa from 2014-16

Earlier, a preliminary inquiry was registered. Investigation showed that Srivastava in connivance with Sharma and other accused were involved in the fraud, CBI said. After investigation, a charge sheet was filed against 12 accused in the court of special judge for CBI cases, New Delhi.

Srivastava served as the chief secretary of Goa from 2014-16. He was given an extension in service twice beyond his superannuation as the state was hosting the Brics summit during that period. In January 2017, he was appointed as the state election commissioner. Srivastava resigned in the first week of November citing “personal reasons”.

When the bail application filed by Srivastava came up for hearing before the high court, the public prosecutor sought to file a status report in the case. The high court directed the public prosecutor to file it before the next date of hearing and adjourned the case to February 17, 2021.

Srivastava has also filed an appeal against the order passed by the trial court directing him to undergo imprisonment.

The CBI stated that the trial court convicted the accused and acquitted five others. Two accused have since expired.