Nationwide CBI raids

The anti-corruption branch of Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday raided 183 premises across the country.

In one of the biggest ever anti-corruption operation, 2500 men and officers of CBI launched the searches early in the morning. The operation was on when this report was filed.

Among the places searched were 41 in Delhi, 16 in Mumbai, 11 in Kolkata , 11 in Jaipur, 18 in Dehradun, eight in Chandigarh and eight in Gaziabad.

Briefing journalists in Delhi, CBI Director U S Misra said 48 cases have been registered against 106 people, including 50 public servants.

"Cases have been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 sections 7,13 (1)(d), read with 13 (2) for demanding and accepting bribes, possession of disproportionate assets and abuse of official position and causing wrongful loss to the government and wrongful gain to private persons. Cases have also been registered under sections 120-B, 420/468/470/471 of the Indian Penal Code relating to cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy," Misra said.

"Two superintendents of central excise, anti-evasion cell in Kolkata were arrested while demanding a bribe of Rs 100,000 and accepting Rs 25,000 as the first instalment," Misra said.

Residences and farm houses of Assistant Commissioner of Police, Delhi, Udai Vir Singh Rathi were among  the places raided by the CBI.

According to a revenue department estimate, Rathi's movable and immovable assets are worth around Rs 2 crore. The assets include a house in Safdarjung Enclave, four cars, a farm house and fixed deposits.

Rs 800,000 in cash was recovered from the Dehradun and Delhi residences A K Singhal, joint commissioner in the Delhi government. "He has three flats in Gurgaon and Vasant Kunj. He also owns three shops worth Rs 15 lakh and another plot of the same amount," Misra said.

A case of disproportionate assets has been registered against one deputy general manager of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited in Gorakhpur.