MCL bribery probe: Delhi CBI registers case against its own ASI posted in Bhubaneswar

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against one of its own officials, with the Delhi unit filing an FIR against an Assistant Sub-Inspector posted in the Bhubaneswar branch. 

The development follows raids conducted by the Delhi CBI at Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) premises in Odisha’s Sundargarh district on Saturday, during which fresh details allegedly emerged.

Allegations Against CBI Official

The accused, Prashant Kumar Palei, is serving as an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) in the CBI Bhubaneswar branch. He has come under suspicion for allegedly collecting money from Sarada Prasad Sethi, the dispatch officer of MCL’s Garjanbahal open-cast project in the Basundhara area of Sundargarh.

According to the allegations, Sarada Prasad Sethi misused his official position to illegally collect financial gains from various coal extractors. It has further been alleged that Palei accepted money to provide protection to Sethi from the CBI and other investigating agencies.

FIR And Ongoing Raids

Based on these allegations, the CBI registered a case against ASI Prashant Kumar Palei, Sarada Prasad Sethi, and several others, and initiated a detailed investigation. A three-member team of the Delhi CBI is conducting raids at MCL in Sundargarh in connection with the case.

Investigators have also alleged that Palei accepted bribe money through the bank accounts of his son, wife, and other individuals closely associated with him.

Further Allegations Detailed In FIR

As per reports, the FIR filed by the Delhi CBI states that Palei allegedly took bribes over a period of years from organisations including MCL, transport entities, and other companies. It was also alleged that Palei operated through a CBI Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Reports further claimed that Sarada Sethi, who also worked as a settlement officer at MCL, was closely associated with Palei. It was alleged that Palei threatened senior officials when work related to Sethi was obstructed and had earlier framed an MCL official, leading to his arrest by the CBI.

Searches Across Multiple Cities

Reports indicated that this is the first instance of the Delhi CBI registering a case against officials of the Bhubaneswar CBI branch. As part of the probe, raids were conducted at multiple locations, including Berhampur, Bhubaneswar, and Rourkela, during which several important documents were seized.