CBI files fresh case against journalist Upendra Rai

NEW DELHI: Two days after he was arrested for dubious financial deals, the Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday filed a fresh case against journalist Upendra Rai, his associate Rahul Sharma, unknown officials of Income Tax department and government departments for portraying himself as “power broker of the IT department and extorting Rs 15 crore from a Mumbai based real estate company.
CBI says that Balvinder Singh Malhotra, one of the directors of Mumbai based M/s White Lion Real Estate Developers Pvt Ltd approached the agency on Friday with a complaint against Rai.

Rai, it is alleged, approached Kapil Wadhawan, a relative of the promoters of the company, in September 2017 portraying himself as a “power broker” of IT department and other government departments.

He also impressed on Wadhawan that he is a senior journalist having worked for Tehelka, Star TV and is connected to big media houses, says CBI in its FIR.

Rai informed Wadhawan that he had sensitive information from the IT department relating to the raids to be conducted on the companies related/associated to White Lion, adding that action would be taken against the company under Benami Act as well.

“He then threatened that he had the potential to tarnish the image of the White Lion companies and promoters due to his media connections,” says the complaint, which is now part of the FIR.

Finally, Wadhawan met Rai his latter’s GK-1 Delhi residence during which Rai showed him a bunch of documents of IT department wherein action was contemplated against various companies including White Lion. “This was followed by few calls from local media persons,” says the FIR.

“Upendra Rai demanded huge amount of money to settle the issue with IT department and adverse media reporting. He claimed he had contacted in IT office, Scindia House, Mumbai,” says the FIR.

“Succumbing to the pressure, a consultancy agreement had to be signed to work out an arrangement to pay the huge amount demanded. Thus, a consultancy agreement dated October 3, 2017 was prepared between M/s Upendra Rai and Associates and White Lion from October 1, 2017 till September 30, 2018,” it adds.

As per the agreement, Rs a sum of Rs 15,19,50,000 (excluding GST and TDS) has been paid from our Axis Bank, Bandra account to Rai’s HDFC Bank account between October 2017 and Aril 2018, says the complaint.

“After making enquiries, we realised that Upendra Rai is a professional blackmailer and a tout in various government department, include IT. Thus we have discontinued the agreement but he continues to threaten us,” said the complaint.

Earlier this week, CBI arrested Rai for dubious transactions in his accounts worth over Rs 100 crores and also gaining access through Aerodrome Entry Pass (AEP) for all airports across the country in connivance with the officials of aviation company – Air One Aviation Pvt Ltd and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).