CBI Busts Transfer Racket Operating at Army HQ in Delhi, Two Held

The racket involves senior officers who were manipulating postings of officers in lieu of bribes.

Corruption and bribery. Representational image. (Photo Courtesy: iStock)

The CBI on Friday busted a major transfer racket operating in the army headquarter in New Delhi involving senior officers, who were manipulating postings of officers in lieu of huge illegal gratification.

The case had been registered against Lt Col Ranganathan Suvramani Moni, Personnel Division, Army Headquarter; an army officer, Purushottam, based in Hyderabad; Bengaluru-based army officer S Subhas and alleged middleman Gaurav Kohli.

Lt Colonel Ranganathan Suvramani Moni and middleman Gaurav Kohli have been arrested by CBI.

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The agency had registered a corruption case against Lt Colonel posted at the army headquarters in Delhi and two other army officers for alleged irregularities in transfers. The name of a Brigadier posted in the personnel division has also cropped up in the FIR filed by the agency.

It is alleged that Moni had entered into a criminal conspiracy with Kohli and Purshottam, an army officer posted in ESD, Kakinara, for influencing transfer of officers.

It is also alleged that Purshottam contacted army officers who are either posted in different field formation or facing imminent transfers and desirous of getting transferred to their preferred location.

He used to contact Kohli, who has close acquaintance with officers in personnel division of army headquarters here. He used these contacts to pursue transfers of army officers in lieu of huge illegal gratification.

The FIR stated

Purshottam requested Kohli to pursue posting matter of one DSRK Reddy and Subhas in lieu of huge bribe, it claimed. Both wanted posting from Bengaluru to Secunderabad or Vizag.

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Moni assured he would help in getting Subhas transferred through one of the senior officers in the army headquarters against payment of illegal gratification.

Subhas allegedly delivered Rs 5 lakh as bribe to Kohli through Hawala operators.

...Kohli visited residence of Moni and conducted a meeting with some senior officers at the army headquarter in Delhi. Information also reveals that Moni is in contact with Brigadier SK Grover DDG (Personnel) of Army Headquarter for the transfer matter of Subhas

The CBI FIR states.

It is alleged that Rs 2 lakh was to be paid by Kohli to Moni for transfer of Subhas.