CBI may expand Rajendra Kumar probe

The CBI on Thursday claims to have recovered some fresh material that indicate irregularities in the recruitment process done in Delhi government through the Intelligent Communication System India Limited (ICSIL) and said the agency is contemplating to expand the ambit of probe against Rajendra Kumar, principal secretary to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

According to sources, the agency sleuths had recovered four files pertaining to recruitment in the Delhi government. In one of the files, pertaining to data entry operators’ recruitment, several pages were found to be missing. This prompted the agency to dig deep into the recruitment process, they added. Sources said probe may be expanded further and may involve much more officers and recruitment processes as well.

The agency is currently probing five instances of alleged corruption against Kumar spanning over a period of five years from 2009 to 2014 when he served in the Delhi government in various capacities. Sources further clarified nothing has been finalised and any further action will depend on details which might emerge during further questioning of Mr Kumar. Mr Kumar will again be called for questioning in connection with the case as the agency has found five audio clippings in which he is purportedly giving oral instructions to the official concerned to allegedly manipulate contract terms, sources added.

Mr Kumar, who initially refused to share his email password to sleuths during his detailed examination, had later provided the details. Scrutiny of his e-mail account resulted in discovery of five audio recordings clips to the period of 2011-13 which carry his purported instructions to the officers handling tenders and contracts to allegedly manipulate and favour Endeavour Systems, which is also named in the FIR, sources said.

The CBI said that it has registered a case against Kumar and others on allegations against the officer that he abused his official position by “favouring a particular firm in the last few years.”