Electoral Bonds: CBI Books Megha Engineering, 8 Steel Ministry Officials

In relation to electoral bonds donation worth Rs 966 crores, alleged bribery, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR against Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd. According to the reports, the CBI has booked 8 officials of the NISP and NMDC and two officials of MECON for allegedly accepting Rs 78 lakh bribe for clearing bills of Rs 174 crore of Megha Engineering. The engineering firm's bills were related to Jagdalpur integrated steel plant work, the CBI report disclosed.

According to the data shared by the State Bank of India (SBI), it was learned that Megha Engineering, the second-biggest buyer of electoral bonds, donated Rs 586 crore to the ruling BJP.

The company also donated Rs 195 crore to BRS, Rs 85 crore to DMK, Rs 37 crore to YSRCP, and the TDP got about Rs 25 crore from the company.

The engineering company also deposited Rs 17 crore in the Congress account, while Janta Dal-Secular, Jana Sena Party, and the Janta Dal-United received Rs 5 to 10 crore.

According to the CBI FIR, a preliminary inquiry was launched on August 10, 2023, after the investigating agency had got information about alleged bribery of Rs 315 crores in relation to the projects related to the intake well, pump house and cross-country pipeline at the integrated steel plant Jagdalpur.

The CBI has booked 8 NISP and NMDC officials: retired executive director Prashant Dash, director (production) DK Mohanty, DGM PK Bhuyan, DM Naresh Babu, senior manager Subro Banerjee, retired CGM (finance) L Krishna Mohan, GM (finance) K Rajshekhar, manager (finance) Somnath Ghosh, and MECON's two AGM (contracts) Sanjeev Sahay and DGM (contracts) K Illavarsu for receiving alleged bribery.