MUMBAI– The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched a probe into alleged corruption within the Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), targeting an enforcement officer (EO) and a private PF consultant. The duo stands accused of soliciting and accepting substantial cash payments from at least three private companies located in Nashik. These illicit transactions were reportedly carried out to manipulate and settle pending Provident Fund (PF) issues, allowing the companies to avoid legitimate dues.
Consultant’s Past Paved Way for Current Exposure
A pivotal breakthrough in this case emerged from an unrelated bribery investigation in 2023, where the same PF consultant had been arrested. In that prior incident, the consultant, in collusion with other EPFO officers, had accepted a bribe of Rs 2 lakh to resolve a PF matter for a private company. During the subsequent search of the consultant’s office in Mumbai, CBI officials discovered a crucial piece of evidence: a diary containing handwritten entries detailing various payments. These entries, which included sums of Rs 15 lakh, Rs 1.25 lakh, and Rs 50,000, ultimately connected the consultant to the current allegations, revealing a pattern of accepting bribes to resolve PF matters.
Unraveling the Bribery Trail: Companies Confirm Payments
Further investigation into the diary entries exposed their connection to the three Nashik firms. The entries indicated that the listed amounts were indeed bribes collected from these companies, intended to facilitate the closure of their outstanding PF cases. Crucially, the probe revealed that these bribe amounts were then funneled to the EPFO enforcement officer by the consultant. To corroborate these findings, the CBI reached out to the officials of the implicated Nashik companies. Their testimonies confirmed the allegations, as they admitted to paying the accused individuals in exchange for settling their PF matters, solidifying the evidence against the officer and the consultant.
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Legal Ramifications and Ongoing Investigation
Based on the compelling evidence and the complaints received from the Nashik-based private companies, the CBI initiated a preliminary inquiry at its Mumbai office on November 21, 2024. This inquiry swiftly led to the registration of a formal case against the accused. The charges levied include serious offenses under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act, encompassing public servant bribery, undue influence on public servants through corrupt means, abetment of such offenses, and criminal conspiracy. The ongoing legal proceedings are expected to shed further light on the extent of the corruption and serve as a deterrent against similar illicit activities within public service.