Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against a senior social security assistant (Sr SSA) of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation who was previously posted at the EPFO Kandivali office and two employees of a dairy company to provide some kickbacks for settlement of PF claims as and when the employees received their claim amount.

About The Case

The CBI officers claimed that during 2019-21, the accused persons allegedly collected a bribe of over Rs 4.50 lakh. According to the CBI sources, a complaint was received from Sachin Borate, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, Regional Office, Kandivali (East) regarding alleged corruption with regard to the settlement of claims related to a dairy company.

"It is alleged that during the process of PF-related work, M.J. Bamne, Sr. SSA used to ask an employee of a dairy company to provide some kickbacks for settlement of PF claims. There was so much delay in the settlement of claims and as many members were having urgent work like marriage, and hospital expenses, the accused private person who connived with Bamne, conveyed the words of Bamne to different employees, and as and when he received an amount from any employee, he transferred it to Bamne for settlement of the claims. The said private person accused transferred kickbacks in the account of a relative of Bamne,” said a CBI official.

“Scrutiny of the said bank account revealed financial transactions in the form of undue financial advantage from the accused private person who acted as middleman and paid the collected bribe by online transactions into the said bank account of Bamne's relative amounting to Rs 3.53 lakh during the period 2019-202. Further, it is noticed that Bamne and his relative received an undue financial advantage for settlement of such types of claims in their bank accounts from another employee of the same dairy company,” said the official.

The said employee also confirmed in his statement that he acted as a middleman by paying the collected bribe money and sent it to Bamne during the period of 2019 to 2021 by online transactions into his bank account which amounted to Rs.1.08 lakh. A case has been registered against Bamne and two other accused persons on charges of criminal conspiracy, bribing of public servants, and the relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC.