Bhopal Lokayukta To Question Jailed Rohit Gogia Over Alleged ₹1 Crore Payment To Suspended Excise Officer Deepam Raichura

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Lokayukta police will record the statement of jailed Rohit Gogia in connection with the corruption and misuse of office case registered against suspended assistant excise commissioner Deepam Raichura.

Gogia, who is lodged in jail in a cheating case, has alleged that he paid Rs 1 crore to Raichura to secure a liquor shop licence in Bhopal.

Following the controversy triggered by Gogia's statement, Lokayukta officials said they would soon visit the jail to record his statement after obtaining permission from the court.

Lokayukta officials said that although they had registered the case on the basis of the charge sheet given to Raichura by the department, all aspects related to the alleged corrupt practices would be covered in the investigation.

The allegation of accepting Rs 1 crore and the award of a shop contract on the basis of fake fixed deposit receipts (FDRs) worth Rs 2.75 crore are among the points of investigation.

Officials said that after Gogia's interrogation, details of financial transactions in the relevant account would be sought from the bank. If these details are found to be authentic, they will be incorporated into the case. Furthermore, a case of amassing assets disproportionate to known sources of income will be registered against Raichura.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) may also investigate the matter. Gogia is a suspect in over 15 fraud cases across several states, including Delhi. He was arrested by the ED last year and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail.

Officials also said that private individuals who acted as intermediaries in the entire scheme, as well as officials from the excise department, would also fall within the scope of the investigation. Statements from these individuals will be recorded following the questioning of Raichura; this process is scheduled for November.

Notices will soon be issued to the parties concerned. Documents are also being requested from the excise department. Based on these findings, additional charges will be added to the FIR.