The CBI has filed a 45,000-page chargesheet against two Hiranandani Group directors?Niranjan and Surendra Hiranandani?who allegedly conspired and siphoned away Rs 9 crore in the name of provident fund. Apart from the Hiranandani brothers, the chargesheet has also been filed against 24 others, including two former Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners of Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and other officials from Hiranandani group.
?Both senior officials from the PF had aided the contractors and the brothers in taking undue benefits and refrained from depositing the amount,? said CBI DIG Praveen Salunkhe.
According to the Anti-Corruption Bureau of CBI, which had lodged an FIR on March 29, 2008, Hiranandani Group had not deposited the provident fund of their employees between 2003 and 2006. The scam surfaced after an internal enquiry was launched by the EPFO. ?Only after accessing and assessing the entire entry made with the department, did the department ascertain the malpractice. Both brothers were aware of the crime and they have been booked for cheating and conspiring with other 24 accused in the case,? a senior officer said.?The alleged non-payment, as per a report filed by the EPFO in its departmental enquiry, was to the tune of Rs 9.39 crore. ?Both brothers had prepared bogus details of PF contributions of five companies. Member mentioned in those companies did not exists,? Salunkhe said.
The chargesheet includes documents seized from the offices of Hiranandani, EPFO as also from offices of the 18 contractors of the group. It also includes the statements of 146 witnesses. All the 26 accused have been charged with conspiracy, fraud and cheating under the Indian Penal Code and under the Prevention of Corruption Act.