Environment Ministry bribe case: CBI arrests another middleman

CBI has arrested the father of the middleman who was apprehended by the agency recently along with an Environment Ministry Official on the charge of giving bribe to the latter for securing environmental clearance to a Odisha-based steel and power company.

The agency took into custody Achyutananda Shrichandan of Odisha-based SS Environics late last night after detailed questioning regarding his alleged role in the case, CBI sources said.

Achyutananda Shrichandan, father of Chinmaya Shrichandan who has already been arrested along with Environment Ministry Deputy Director Neeraj Kumar Khatri, was offering consultancy services through his firm for many mining companies operating in Odisha, sources claimed.

The agency has booked Khatri, Chandan and his father N Shri Chandan, both allegedly acting under the garb of their consultancy form S S Environics Pvt Limited, under relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC sections relating to criminal conspiracy.

They alleged a company wanted clearance for its Raiboga Mines at Birmitrapur in Sundargarh, Odisha. The issue is said to be coming up in the agenda of an expert appraisal committee meeting headed by a Joint Secretary level official.

Repeated phone calls to the company's headquarters did not result in any response as the receptionist maintained that no official was available. The mails sent on the address given on their website also bounced back.

The company had allegedly hired S S Environics to get the clearance. The website of the company shows many big players in mining industry as its clients.