New Delhi, Aug 3 (IANS): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday said that it carried out searches at multiple locations in Meghalaya, Delhi, Mumbai, and Himachal Pradesh in connection with award of a contract, at "exorbitant rates", to a Mumbai-based company for supply of High Security Registration Plates in Meghalaya.

A CBI spokesperson said that the agency had registered a case against Shimnit Utsch India Pvt Ltd Director Nitin Shah, unknown officials of Meghalaya's Transport Department, and others on the allegations of awarding the contract at exorbitant rates for supply of HSRPs.

According to the FIR, the Meghalaya government, in 2003, floated a tender for execution of the HSRP scheme and three private companies, based at Mumbai and New Delhi, had participated in the tender process. However, it was alleged that Shah, in collusion with unknown officials of the state Transport Department, rigged the tender process by submitting collusive bids through entities controlled by him.

It was also alleged that the work was awarded to his company at exorbitant rates in 2005.

The official said that the agency sleuths carried out searches at the premises connected to the accused at Shillong, Delhi, Mumbai and Himachal's Sirmaur.