The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated a corruption case against Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL) and eight officials of the NMDC Iron and Steel Plant (NISP), Ministry of Steel. The case, involving a project worth Rs 315 crore for NISP, alleges offenses such as bribing public servants and criminal conspiracy.
MEIL, based in Hyderabad, has recently been identified as one of the top buyers of electoral bonds, with substantial donations made to political parties. It contributed Rs 584 crore to the BJP and Rs 195 crore to the Bharat Rashtra Samiti.
The CBI has registered the case against MEIL under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code.
The project in question was contracted between NISP, MEIL, and Koya and Company Construction Ltd (KCCL) in January 2015, valued at approximately Rs 314.57 crore. However, an investigation revealed that NDMC had previously assigned the same work to Mecon Ltd in 2012.
It is alleged that eight officials of NISP/NMDC and two officials of Mecon Ltd received bribes from MEIL.
The issue surfaced after the Chief Vigilance Officer of NMDC lodged a complaint in April 2023 against the former Executive Director of NISP, Prashant Dash, and other officials.
MEIL's involvement in a Rs 14,400-crore tunnel project in Mumbai, granted shortly after purchasing electoral bonds worth Rs 140 crore in April 2023, has also raised concerns.
