Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Aug 21: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday filed a second supplementary charge sheet in the Reliance Communications Limited (RCom) case before a special court in Mumbai, accusing Reliance ADA Group Managing Director Amitabh Jhunjhunwala of criminal conspiracy, criminal misappropriation and cheating in connection with an alleged Rs 971.25 crore loss to the State Bank of India (SBI).
The supplementary charge sheet, filed before the Special Judge for CBI Cases, follows an investigation into Jhunjhunwala’s alleged role in a criminal conspiracy to cheat SBI by dishonestly and fraudulently obtaining a Rs 1,200 crore term loan for Reliance Communications Limited and Reliance Infratel Limited.
According to the CBI, the two companies failed to repay the loans, resulting in a wrongful loss of around Rs 971.25 crore to the bank.
The CBI registered the case following a complaint from SBI. According to the FIR, the total exposure of Indian public sector banks and financial institutions in the matter stands at Rs 19,694.33 crore.
The agency had earlier filed its first charge sheet on May 29 this year, naming 16 accused, including Reliance Communications Limited, five senior executives of the company and 10 bank officials.
It subsequently filed a supplementary charge sheet against Netizen Engineering P Limited and its directors Anil Jamna Kalya and Tunu Sahu.
With the latest charge sheet against Jhunjhunwala, the total number of accused booked in the case has risen to 20.
The CBI said further investigation is continuing against other accused persons and into other aspects of the case.
The agency has registered eight FIRs against Reliance Communications Limited (RCom), Reliance Home Finance Limited (RHFL), Reliance Commercial Finance Limited (RCFL) and Reliance Telecom Limited (RTL), based on complaints received from various public sector banks, the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) and the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).
The CBI has so far arrested seven accused persons in cases involving the Reliance ADA Group, all of whom are currently in judicial custody.
The Supreme Court is monitoring the investigation into these cases.