BHOPAL: Investigations into the E-tender scam by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seem to have lost steam. The search operations were swift and two people were arrested then, but, thereafter, there appears to be no development. The ED had conducted searches at 18 places in Hyderabad, Bhopal and Bengaluru on January 6 in connection with the E-tender scam. The places raided included the residence of former chief secretary M Gopal Reddy, as well. Shrinivas Raju Mantena of Mantena Construction and Aditya Tripathi of Arni Infra were arrested on January 20.
ED had summoned former CS Reddy along with Mantena and Tripathi for further investigations. However, Reddy cited corona as reason and didn’t appear before the ED. It has been about 41 days and things do not seem to move any further. Moreover, ED hasn’t issued notice to any other officials in relation with the E-tender scam. The investigation has been confined to some officials only.
The ED investigation, too, has now started dragging its feet, the way state agency EOW did. It was believed that several skeletons would tumble out of the cupboard, but, even after two months, no progress has been reported.
WRD officials happy with bail for Mantena
Officials and staff of water resource department are happy at the news that Shriniwas Raju Mantena of Mantena Constructions is out on bail. Several important and big ventures of the WRD are underway in joint ventures with Mantena. These projects had suffered a severe blow after ED’s raids and subsequent arrest of Mantena. The department now feels that the projects given to Mantena will be completed in time.