Former CBI Director rejects meat exporter's bribery allegations
New Delhi, Oct 27 (IANS) Former CBI Director A.P. Singh on Friday rejected allegations of receiving bribe from meat exporter Moin Qureshi who "extorted" money from industrialist Pradip Koneru in his name.
Qureshi had, in February 2012, promised the businessman that he will help his father, Rajendra Koneru, who was facing probe by the agency in a corruption case, in exchange for a fee.
A report in a section of media, citing the Enforcement Directorate complaint, had said that Pardeep Koneru in his statement to the agency alleged that he paid more than Rs 5 crore, meant to be passed to A.P. Singh, to Qureshi.
In its complaint, the ED contends that Qureshi was "extorting" money from Koneru and Blackberry Messenger conversations between Qureshi and his employee Aditya Sharma are evidence to show that there was "exchange of money".
A.P. Singh, in a written clarification, maintained: "I deny that Koneru has paid Rs 5.25 crore to me. I have no knowledge of any such transaction between Moin Qureshi and Koneru except for some BBMs (blackberry messages) between Qureshi and one of his employees between October 25, 2012, and November 30, 2012 (mentioned in the CBI FIR) in which there are details of money being received from one Pradip."
He termed the media report "presumptive, speculative and full of inaccurate facts aimed at damaging my reputation".
"I have never met Pradeep Koneru or ever spoken to him. It is preposterous to imply that there was any interference in the case against his father Rajendra Koneru which would be evident from the CBI clarification given in 2014," the former CBI chief said.
He said it is factually relevant to point out that the CBI had already filed a chargesheet in this case on February 1, 2012, and underlined that the matter after that was in court and not with the agency.
A.P. Singh said it defies logic as to why Pradip Koneru would pay 5.25 crore meant ostensibly for him in October and November 2012, when his father Rajendra Koneru was arrested, chargesheeted and finally given bail by the Andhra Pradesh High Court in August 2012 after spending eight months in jail -- despite strong opposition from the CBI.
He also said he visited London only twice in 2012 -- once in March and once in November 2012 -- which were transit stops for official visits to Interpol conferences.
"On all such visits, I stayed with my daughter in London even though I was entitled to hotel accommodation through the Embassy.
"I have during this period made no private visits in India or abroad and in all official visits boarding and lodging is taken care of by the government," he said.
He also refuted allegations that the event of CBI annual day in 2012 was organised by Qureshi's daughter.
"The CBI annual day was organised on April 1, 2012. To the best of my knowledge the arrangements were done by a very reputed event manager since the President and Prime Minister were attending," he said.
Rajendra Koneru, chairman of Trimex group and promoter of Stylish Homes Real Estate Private Ltd, was facing the CBI probe for alleged corruption in the deal between a builder group and Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation.
--IANS
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