JNPA official booked for causing ₹800-cr loss

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked the former chief manager, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), and four others, including three firms, for cheating, conspiracy, corruption and causing losses of over ₹800 crore to JNPA.

- Abhishek Sharan

MUMBAI: The alleged irregularities are linked to the dredging of navigational channels between 2003 and 2019.

The JNPA had dredged its navigational channel so that larger container vessels could access the port. The dredging project was meant to facilitate higher parcel size of cargo, higher productivity at terminals and higher economies of scale.

CBI conducted searches at the residential premises of certain officers of the JNPA and the consulting company and offices of accused private companies at five places in Mumbai and Chennai, which led to the recovery of a number of documents relating to the Capital Dredging Project, digital devices and documents showing alleged investments made by public servants. The documents recovered are being examined, according to CBI officials.

The CBI registered the case on Wednesday on the basis of the findings of a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) that began in June 2022. The accused include JNPA's then chief manager S Madabhavi, Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE), Mumbai, its then project director, Boskalis Smit India LLP, Mumbai, Jan De Nul Dredging India Private Limited, Chennai, and certain unknown public servants and private persons.

Despite several attempts, HT could not reach either the persons or the firms named in the FIR for their comment.