Chidambaram’s minion Ramesh Abhishek raided by CBI in disproportionate assets case
More than a year after Lokpal’s direction, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday raided Ramesh Abhishek, former secretary, of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in a disproportionate asset case. CBI raided Abhishek’s multi-story residence at Great Kailash II in New Delhi. Ramesh Abhishek was a powerful bureaucrat during the UPA regime and a close aide of Ministers P Chidambaram and Lalu Prasad Yadav.
The previous year, Ramesh Abhishek had admitted to the Lokpal at having earned over Rs.2.7 crore as a professional consultancy fee in just 15 months since his retirement. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) too was conducting investigations against Abhishek. The Lokpal has directed the ED to probe into matters, including the valuation of his big bungalow in Greater Kailash-II.[1]
Ramesh Abhishek who enjoyed close proximity with Chidambaram was chief of the Forward Markets Commission and faced a slack from the Supreme Court in the NSEL spot exchange fiasco. After retirement, the consultancy firm of Ramesh Abhishek enjoyed several big clients including Paytm and its holding company One97, Amway India Enterprises, Dharampal Satyapal Ltd, P&A Law Offices and Primus Partners Pvt Ltd, PAGAC III Holding IV (HK) Ltd, Harsha Vardhana Singh, Atmanirbhar Digital India Foundation, Social and Political Research Foundation, IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative and Aakhya Media Services Pvt Ltd.
In a clear case of quid pro quo, post his retirement, these companies now feature as his clients and contribute to his income of over Rs.2.7 crore in the financial years 2020-21 and 2022-23. Interestingly, two of the clients, Lulu International Shopping Mall Pvt Ltd and PAGAC III Holding IV (HK) Ltd featured in the Panama Papers Leak.
The complaint to Lokpal and CVC also revealed misuse of the official position by Abhishek as a bureaucrat. According to the complainant, in the garb of prompting ease of doing business as a key member of the government panel on Make in India, Abhishek got his daughter Vaneesa Agrawal appointed as a consultant to several firms and charged heavy fees. He misused his position to influence the then SEBI Chairman U.K. Sinha and had his daughter appointed in the SEBI by creating a special vacancy, it was alleged.[2]
Reference:
[1] Controversial retired IAS officer Ramesh Abhishek admits earning Rs.2.7 crore consultancy fees in 15 months. Lokpal orders ED to probe – Jun 16, 2023, PGurus.com
[2] CBI Raids Multi Storey Delhi Home Of Former Bureaucrat Ramesh Abhishek – Feb 20, 2024, PGurus.com
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Good catch. More to be caught ?