VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, Jan 19: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has lodged an FIR against Kolkata -based businessman Amit Agrawal and unknown officials of the Kolkata police for hatching a conspiracy and scandalising the judiciary, ED officials and other government officials through an allegedly frivolous FIR.
The said FIR was lodged by Amit Agrawal against Jharkhand High court advocate Rajiv Kumar at the Hare Street Police Station where he alleged that Rajiv Kumar demanded money to give him relief in a shell company-related PIL. Rajiv Kumar was the advocate of the petitioner Shiv Shankar Sharma who had filed a PIL against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and others for corruption through shell companies. Rajiv Kumar was also arrested along with Rs 50 Lakh in Kolkata on July 31.
This will land Amit Agrawal in fresh trouble as he has recently been released on bail by the Supreme Court in the same case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate.
The CBI said that Amit Agrawal hatched a conspiracy with the help of Kolkata police to defame the judiciary, ED and other central agencies by posing as a victim.
The CBI said that prima facie it appears commission of cognizable offences punishable u/s 120-B & 182 of IPC and Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (As amended in 2018) on the part of (i) Sh. Amit Kumar Agarwal; (ii) Unknown officials of Kolkata Police and (iii) Unknown Others.
Hence, this FIR is registered and the investigation is entrusted to Dinesh Kumar, Inspector, CBI, AC-III, New Delhi.
The CBI said that the enquiry further revealed that the High Court clubbed both petitions together and active hearing was going on in both the PILs.
The enquiry has revealed that earlier in the month of March 2022, an attempt was made by Amit Kumar Agarwal through the then DC of Ranchi Chhavi Ranjan to influence Rajiv Kumar in connection with the PILs.
The CBI said that Amit Kumar Agarwal filed a complaint dated 31.07.2022 at Hare Street Police Station against Rajiv Kumar and Shiv Shankar Sharma for illegally demanding a bribe amount of Rs. 10 Crore and for extorting the same for dismissing the PIL.
The enquiry further revealed that based on the complaint of Amit Kumar Agarwal, the Hare Street Police Station, Kolkata registered a case FIR No. 222/2022 against Rajiv Kumar and Shiv Shankar Sharma for the above-mentioned allegations u/s 7A of PC Act, 1988 and section 120-B r/w 384 of IPC.
It revealed that Amit Kumar Agarwal called Rajeev Kumar from Ranchi to Kolkata, first on 13.7.2022 and then on 31.7.2022 through one of his known Sh. Sonu Agarwal and induced him for taking money for getting the PIL dismissed. The conversations between Amit Kumar Agarwal and Rajeev Kumar on both occasions were recorded by Amit Kumar Agarwal.
Moreover, Amit Kumar Agarwal induced Rajiv Kumar to use his good contacts with Judges and get the PIL matter dismissed and also offered him money and enquired about the amount of money required for the same.
The enquiry further revealed that when Amit Kumar Agarwal called Rajiv Kumar on 31.07.2022, he handed over Rs. 50 Lakh to Rajiv Kumar and got him trapped by the Kolkata Police.
Notably, the FIR no. 222/2022 under the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered by Hare Street Police Station on the basis of the said complaint of Amit Kumar Agarwal even without mentioning the name of any public servant or unknown public servants in the FIR before invoking the sections of Prevention of Corruption Act.
Furthermore, the information provided by Amit Agarwal to Hare Street PS was false and the bribe was given to Rajiv Kumar by alluring him with the intention to interfere with the judicial process. Contrary to the allegation made in the complaint to the Hare Street PS, it was Amit Kumar Agarwal who called Rajiv Kumar to Kolkata through Sonu Agarwal and offered him money. Further, the conversation recorded by Amit Kumar Agarwal also does not reveal any threat of extortion from Rajiv Kumar or claim to stop Income Tax Agency from conducting any raid.
The enquiry has therefore revealed that Amit Kumar Agarwal had called Rajiv Kumar to Kolkata and offered and gave him Rs 50 lacs to induce a public servant to get the PIL dismissed.
