Probe panel investigating IPS officer Amitabh Gupta's role in travel nod to Wadhawans submits report

The IPS officer is accused of giving free pass to DHFL scam accused Wadhawan brothers, expempting them from lockdown restrictions.

Mumbai: A committee probing the role of senior IPS officer Amitabh Gupta in allowing DHFL promoters Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan to travel during the coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown has submitted its report to the Maharashtra government. According to highly placed government sources, the panel is satisfied with Gupta's reply on the matter and has filed its recommendations to the government.

"Additional Chief Secretary Manoj Saunik`s report on the inquiry against Principal Secretary Home (Special) Amitabh Gupta is likely to be submitted by today or tomorrow," Deshmukh said in a tweet.

Maharashtra Special Principal Secretary in the Home Department, IPS officer Amitabh Gupta had allegedly given permission to the Wadhawan family of DHFL Group to travel from Khandala to Mahabaleshwar amid the coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown. As per a report, the bureaucrat had issued a letter exempting the Wadhawans from the lockdown restrictions and allowing them to travel in five vehicles, citing a 'family emergency'. After the report surfaced on April 10, he was immediately sent to compulsory leave with immediate effect until the completion of the probe on the matter. 

At least 23 members of the Wadhawan family, including DHFL promoters Kapil Wadhawan and Dheeraj Wadhawan, were put under institutional quarantine by the local police at Panchgani after they were found violating the lockdown. 

Earlier this week, the Maharashtra police had earlier this week requested the CBI to take the custody of Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan. Both brothers are named as accused in the CBI's FIR pertaining to alleged swindling of money by Yes Bank promoter Rana Kapoor and others.

The DHFL (Dewan Housing Finance Limited) group has taken a loan of about Rs 3,700 crore from Yes Bank that is under "stress". Besides CBI, the Enforcement Directorate is also probing the alleged quid pro quo between the two business groups and their promoters.

They are also being probed by the ED in another criminal case filed under the PMLA and is linked to late gangster Iqbal Mirchi.