Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR in a corruption case against three officials from the Marine Department of the Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA), a private marine services company, and one of its employees. The charges include demanding undue advantage, bribery by a commercial organisation, and criminal conspiracy.
The probe began after a complaint from Rakesh Shrivastava, chief vigilance officer of MbPA. On April 6, 2023, captain AS Pal, an MbPA pilot, was assigned to shift a vessel from D3 to X3 Anchorage. After completing the operation, Pal injured his ankle while disembarking due to a tarpaulin near the exit.
Despite the vessel being ready to sail the same evening, it was held back allegedly pending a no-objection certificate (NOC) from Pal. “He demanded a bribe of $6,000 (Rs 5,13,609) from the shipping agent,” a CBI official said. The amount was later transferred from the company’s bank account to that of a distant relative of Pal on April 7.
On April 8, the vessel’s master and the private company issued an undertaking referring to any future repercussions related to Pal’s injury. The vessel was cleared to sail thereafter.
“The vessel was delayed from April 6 to 8, and the due procedure for such delays was not followed,” the complaint stated. It further alleged that ‘in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy, Pal and other Marine Department officials avoided seeking necessary approvals or orders from the deputy conservator, the authorised officer to detain vessels.’
According to the FIR, the accused officials did not make any clear efforts to seek directions, thereby facilitating the bribe demand and ensuring the vessel’s delayed clearance. Further investigation is underway.
