The CBI has booked a former Finance Ministry official JS Maini and his family members for allegedly receiving a bribe of $ 1 million to swing a joint venture deal between cooperative Kribhco and Norwegian fertiliser major Yara in 2007. The agency had registered a Preliminary Enquiry last year to look into alleged pay-off of $1 million to Maini and his son by the Norwegian company for securing a joint venture with Krishak Bharati Co-operative limited (Kribhco).
Agency sources said the CBI has registered a case against Maini, then Additional Secretary in Finance Ministry, his two sons and their wives. A case has been registered under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. Searches were conducted at two places in Delhi and one place in Chandigarh. Incriminating documents and electronic devices have been seized, a CBI spokesperson said.
The agency had registered the PE based on statements from Yara and Norwegian prosecution agency Okokrim in this regard, naming Maini and his son as suspects. It is alleged that the transfer of over $1 million had taken place in the offshore accounts suspected to be held by Maini and his family members. Yara had accepted 270 million NOK penalty imposed by Norwegian investigation agency National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Okokrim) for alleged payoffs made to a "consultant" for an unrealised project in India.