Illegal transfers: Army Officer, middleman sent to CBI custody

Lt. Col. Ranganathan Subramanian and middleman Gaurav Kohli, who were arrested by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for an alleged 'transfer posting racket' functioning in the Indian Army, were sent to CBI remand till Monday after the investigating agency had sought custody to interrogate the accused.

Rs. two lakh, proofs, evidences and details of other people involved in this racket were also recovered from the Lt. Colonel's residence.

The officer was arrested yesterday due to personal improper practices, the CBI conveyed.

The officer, belonging to Trivandrum, was commissioned in August, 1994 and is posted with Army Head Quarter (HQ) since August, 2015.

The CBI is investigating the case and the Army HQ has said that it will wait for a full investigation while providing full cooperation in the probe.

The FIR was filed under the Sections 7, 8, 12, 13 (2) r/w 13 (1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988 and Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The officers have been charged with criminal conspiracy, demand and acceptance of illegal gratification and using influence over public servant.

Information was received that Ranganathan, entered into criminal conspiracy with Gaurav Kohli, Purshottam and others for ensuring transfer/posting of different officers posted in different field formation to their place of choice in lieu of payment of huge illegal gratification.

Information has also revealed that Purshottam contacted army officers, who are either posted in different field formation or facing imminent transfer and desirous of posting at different locations, and then contacted Gaurav Kohli, who is having close acquaintance with many officers posted in Personnel Division of Army Head Quarter, for pursuing transfer of these officials in lieu of payment of huge illegal gratification to those senior officers posted in the Army HQ.

-ANI