CBI books wife, daughter of MoRTH executive in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing into a corruption case against a chief engineer of ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) and former chief general manager of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have now charged his wife and daughter in a disproportionate assets case.
The CBI has charged the MoRTH chief engineer, Digvijay Mishra’s wife Rajni Mishra and their daughter Samridhi Mishra for amassing assets worth Rs 3.16 crore between September 1, 2020 and July 15, 2022 even as none of them were earning money. An FIR was filed against them under the Prevention of Corruption Act on December 21.
Documents obtained from the CBI suggested that Digvijay’s daughter and wife had purchased properties in Patparganj and Madhuvihar localities of Delhi.
CBI started inquiry against Digvijay after he was caught receiving a bribe of Rs 10 lakh at his house in Kudasan in Gandhinagar on July 15, 2022 for sanctioning a highway project
Digvijay was charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act for favouring a company which was engaged in the 109km Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway project. CBI sources said that Digvijay was favouring the company in the settlement of bills, award of works, completion certificates and extension of deadlines.
Later, a CBI team searched his house and found Rs 21 lakh cash about which neither Mishra nor his family members gave any satisfactory answer. After which, the CBI began a scrutiny of purchases and expenditures by Mishras and found various discrepancies in transactions.
“While Digvijay Mishra was working as a public servant in NHAI, Rajni and Samridhi have amassed disproportionate assets (DA) during the check period of September 1, 2020 and July 15, 2022 to the tune of Rs 3.16 crore which is 510% DA to their known sources of income,” said the FIR filed with CBI Gandhinagar. During the same period, Digvijay had earned a total income of around Rs 62 lakh from his salary and rented houses, said CBI sources.