ACB arrests accused-17 in ESI scam

VIJAYAWADA: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested accused 17 in the multi-crore ESI scam. The accused, identified as Thunuguntla Dinesh alias Dinesh Kumar (30), was produced before the ACB Special Court on Friday. 

In a press release, the ACB said the accused caused loss of about Rs 53.67 lakh to the government exchequer. Dinesh, who was the director of Hyderabad-based company M/s Prodigy Computers & Laptops Pvt. Ltd, submitted a quotation for supply of bio-metric devices along with other four fake quotations by colluding with former director of IMS Dr CL Ramesh Kumar (A1). Ramesh Kumar had issued a work order to the Dinesh to supply 100 devices on a nomination basis at exorbitant rates. “Another director G Vijay Kumar, who succeeded Ramesh Kumar, also colluded with the A17 and paid Rs 73,65,035 for the devices supplied,” said the ACB officials. 

The nexus between them caused a loss of Rs 53.67 lakh to the government, the ACB  said. So far, the ACB arrested 13 persons in connection with the scam.