CBI books PF officers after massive raids across city

CBI sleuths carried out widespread raids at the premises of all these establishments and houses of all the accused. Highly placed sources in CBI told DTNext that several incriminating documents, cash and jewellery have been seized during the raids. 

The officials have got prima facie evidence against the enforcement officers of EPFO, who had collected hefty amounts as bribe to help these private companies submit bogus and fabricated provident fund returns to avoid payment of contributors to the provident fund.

Based on a tip off, the CBI team raided the EPFO regional office in Chennai and the premises of Ramanan, formerly an enforcement officer EPFO, Chennai who is presently working as enforcement officer at EPFO regional office, Trichy, M Thangavel, section officer, EPFO, Chennai R Vimala, enforcement officer, EPFO, Chennai and D Vijayakumar, enforcement officer, EPFO Chennai. CBI has filed six separate FIRs in these cases and section officer M Thangavel and his brother M Marichamy, who is managing partner in several companies have been named in three FIRs.

The CBI sleuths also carried out raids at the premises of Adayar Ananda Bhavan, Efficient Management Consultants, Stepstone Promoters Private Limited, MSS Management Consultants Private Limited, SY Consultants Statutory Services Pvt. Limited, C P Aquaculture (India) Pvt. Limited, Sukra Constructions, Viswakarma Constructions and Kalanithi Constructions Pvt. Limited.

Cases have been booked against three managing directors of these companies along with the EPFO officials under Sections 120-B r/w 420, 468 and 471 of IPC and Sections 7, 12, 13 (2) r/w 13 (1) (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act. 

CBI sources said these officials connived with the businessmen for illegal gratification and had caused several crore loss to the EPFO. M Thangavel, the section officer collected the EPF liability of these companies and contacted the management for illegal gratification. 

After taking hefty amounts from these companies, the corrupt EPFO officials helped the companies create false documents. CBI said M Marichamy, brother of section officer M Thangavel helped these companies in creating bogus documents that were used for reduced assessment of EPF liability. 

The establishments paid the bribe as consultation fee to Efficient Management Consultants, a company in which Marichamy is the managing partner. The amount was then transferred to the account of Thangavel. 

CBI sources said further investigation in to the case is on and the accused are likely to be arrested after scrutiny of the seized documents.