JD(U) MP named by CBI in Rs 9.50 lakh LTC scam

A Rajya Sabha MP from Janta Dal (United) has been named by the CBI in a scam of leave travel claims (LTC) for Rs 9.50 lakh. Soon after registering the FIR,the agency carried out raids at multiple locations including residence of Rajya Sabha MP Anil Kumar Sahani. Besides Sahani,an Air India employee Rubaina Akhtar and a Lajpat Nagar-based travel operator Air Cruise Travels Private Limited were also named in the FIR.

The case was registered by the CBI under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act. Sahani has been accused of making false claims of Rs 9.50 lakh for seven air tickets to Port Blair and return in December 2012 using fake air tickets and boarding passes for himself and six associates. As per the rules,the MPs get 34 free air tickets in a year for themselves,their family members and associates for domestic travel to their constituencies. The agency had initiated a preliminary enquiry after receiving a reference from the Central Vigilance Commission.

During analysis of documents,CBI had found prima facie irregularities in claiming the LTC with an intention to maximise the personal benefit by scuttling the laid down norms which was done in collusion with the travel agents.

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The incident had come to light after the vigilance department of Air India was alerted about the arrest of a man in March at the Kolkata airport with 600 blank boarding passes of the airline in his possession.

A CBI team also visited Rajya Sabha secretariat and collected relevant records in connection with the scam. They clarified that this was not a search operation.