In a significant development in the long-pending bitumen (tar) scam case, a special CBI court delivered a stern verdict, sentencing four individuals to three years of rigorous imprisonment for corruption and embezzlement of government property.
The judgement was pronounced by Special CBI Judge Yogesh Kumar, who found transporter Vinay Kumar Sinha along with Ashish Maiti, Raj Kumar Rai, and Ranjan Pradhan guilty of criminal conspiracy, fraud, and misappropriation.
The court also imposed financial penalties on all four convicts and immediately issued conviction warrants following the sentencing.
However, the court acquitted three former departmental officials — SK Das, SM Aurangzeb, and NC Prasad — citing lack of sufficient evidence against them. Meanwhile, proceedings against two other accused, Md. Ishaq and B.P. Gupta, had abated earlier due to their deaths during the prolonged trial.
Representing the Central Bureau of Investigation, Special Public Prosecutor Khushboo Jaiswal argued the case in court. The prosecution examined 35 witnesses and submitted extensive documentary evidence to establish the charges.
The case dates back to 1997 (RC-12(A)/1997-D) and pertains to the supply of bitumen from Haldia depot to Barhi. According to the CBI investigation, the accused transporter lifted consignments under three separate supply orders from Haldia but failed to deliver the full quantity to the designated destination. Nearly 154 metric tonnes of bitumen were allegedly siphoned off en route.
Investigators further revealed that the transporter submitted forged freight bills without reporting at the Barauni checkpost, thereby causing financial losses to the government exchequer.
All accused were present in court at the time of the verdict. The ruling underscores that even decades-old corruption cases can culminate in accountability, reinforcing faith in the judicial process and the rule of law.
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