They locked room,pushed us out: CBI

The CBI anti-corruption branch on Wednesday rubbished the Army denial of charges that it had obstructed the CBI team.

The CBI anti-corruption branch on Wednesday rubbished the Army denial of charges that it had obstructed the CBI team. We had two independent witnesses in the form of Customs officials who will testify in this matter. We were really taken back, CBI superintendent Vidya Kulkarni said.

Pune Sub Area Commander Brig Rajbir Singh had,at a news conference,claimed that the CBI was lying when it alleged that scores of Army personnel had prevented it from taking possession of the seized AC. The CBI,however,said the Army had even locked up the room where the AC was kept and virtually pushed the raiding team out of the premises. We wanted to seal the AC and take its possession. We wanted to seal it so that it would not be tampered with by anybody. But the (Army) would have none of it. They locked up the room where the AC was kept and threw us out of the premises, Kulkarni said.

The CBI also contested the Army claim that it did not follow the proper procedure while conducting the raid. When our officers reached the hospital premises,they sought the number of the unit chief. We were told to contact hospital commandant Maj Gen SS Panwar and we did that.

She said the Army officers were initially very cooperative. For eight hours,they helped us in scanning documents and equipment. But when we tried to seize and seal the AC,they resisted us. For hours then,the Army officials led by the hospital commandant obstructed us…

She alleged that Panwar had refused to sign the panchanama copy and return it. The CBI said they had conveyed the facts to their Delhi office,which will take up the case with Army headquarters. Whatever we have stated are facts corroborated by two independent witnesses… If the Army bosses doesnt want to believe,it is up to them…

Kulkarni said vendor Kannan Nambiar of Chinchwad had submitted the bill for the AC to them. I had purchased the AC for Rs 14,500 from a local shop and submitted the bill to the CBI. The AC was installed by the shopkeeper himself, Nambiar said.

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