Case against ex-ED joint director: CBI conducts searches

CBI had last year registered a case of criminal conspiracy under the IPC Singh, a 2000 batch IRS officer, and several others.

Mumbai: CBI on Saturday conducted searches at the residences of a bookie and a businessman here in connection with the 2015 bribery case against the former Joint Director of Enforcement Directorate in Ahmedabad, J P Singh.

CBI had last year registered a case of criminal conspiracy under the IPC and various offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Singh, a 2000 batch IRS officer, and several others.

The case was registered after ED wrote to the CBI seeking investigation against Singh, who was then joint director of ED in Ahmedabad. It was alleged that Singh had extorted money from those accused of money laundering in the IPL betting racket case.

"Searches are currently being conducted at the residence of a bookie and a businessman in (suburban) Malad area," a senior CBI officer said here, refusing to give more information.

ED's Ahmedabad unit was probing two important cases -- Rs 2,600 crore IPL betting scandal and Rs 5,000 crore money laundering case against the alleged hawala operator Afroz Fatta.

It is alleged that Singh and two other ED officers threatened the accused or the suspects in these cases, and extorted money or took bribes from them.