The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated an investigation against former Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) secretary, Ramesh Abhishek, in connection with a case of disproportionate assets (DA), according to officials on Tuesday. Ramesh, a retired Bihar cadre IAS officer from the 1982 batch, who later joined Paytm Payments Bank as an Independent Director in 2019, is the subject of the inquiry. The CBI also included Abhishek’s daughter, Vaneesa, in the FIR, and conducted searches at their premises.
The FIR, obtained by this publication, reveals that the Lokpal had referred the DA case involving Ramesh to the CBI for further investigation. The CBI subsequently registered a case under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The investigation is focused on examining transactions involving substantial professional or consulting fees received by Ramesh and Vaneesa from various entities or organizations they interacted with during Ramesh’s tenure as DPIIT secretary.
The FIR further alleges that the father-daughter duo invested the earnings from consultancy services into acquiring property in Greater Kailash-II, New Delhi. This sudden increase in investments in immovable assets or business income over a short period is considered dubious. The CBI’s inquiry is aimed at uncovering any potential wrongdoing related to these transactions and property acquisitions.
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