Union government today declined to accord permission to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prosecute senior IAS officer B Sam Bob in a case related to the land allotment to Lepakshi Knowledge Hub. This is one of the important cases booked under prevention of corruption act, 1988 against the YS Jaganmohan Reddy by the CBI. As Sam Bob was the Principal Secretary Industry and Commerce, CBI wrote to the centre in 2013 seeking permission to persecute Sam Bob, along with Jaganmohan Reddy and others.
In the case filed by CBI, it was alleged that M/S Indu Projects Limited received undue favors from the Andhra Pradesh government, including 8841 acres of land in Anantapur district for their M/S Lepakshi Knowledge Hub Pvt Ltd, at cheaper rates in violation of the rules and guidelines of the government and the company was permitted to mortgage the land to raise loans to the tune of Rs 600 crore.
The central government however found that no charges of taking illegal gratification had been alleged by the CBI against Sam Bob and it also found that the 1983 batch IAS officer had no role in the selection of developer. From its inquiry the centre found that the official did nothing beyond forwarding the proposal which was later vetted by chief secretary, the chief minister and finally by the cabinet. The selection of the developer had been made the APIIC.
“… on the basis of records, including Investigation Report and other supporting documents submitted , the comments of the state government, advice of CVC, and the analysis of the proposal in this department, the acts of omission and commission on the part Shri B Sam Bob, IAS (AP, 1983) did not appear to be malafide in nature and did not constitute misusing his official position to cause benefit to private firms/persons. The acts of Shri Sam Bob did not seem to satisfy the ingredients of section 13(1) (d) to constitute an offence of criminal misconduct under the prevention of corruption Act, 1988,” the letter dispatched to the CBI on March 23, said.
The centre further said, “All the case records sent by the investigating agency were submitted to the Competent Authority. The Competent Authority accordingly, in view of the above position and after carefully considering he facts and circumstances of the case and considering all the relevant material/documents, including the evidence both oral and documentary submitted by the investigating agency with the proposal , has deiced to accept the advice of Central Vigilance Commission, which was in agreement with the views of this department, that prima facie no case is made out against Shir B Sam Bob, IAS (AP:1983) and that the sanction for prosecution u/s 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for alleged offence of criminal misconduct under section 13(1)(d) of the said act, 1988 is denied.”
The letter,which was addressed to SP, CBI, Hyderabad, was signed by Rajkishan Vatsa , Under Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India. A copy has been marked to state government also.
Here is the copy of Central government letter – Exclusive to Telugu360.com
https://www.telugu360.com/hq-gallery/central-government-letter/