CBI Court Sentences Five to Five Years Imprisonment for Defrauding BSNL”

In a landmark ruling, the Special Judge for CBI Cases in Lucknow has sentenced five individuals, including a former BSNL official, to five years of imprisonment each for their involvement in causing significant financial losses to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). The court has also imposed a cumulative fine of ₹2.95 lakh on the convicts.

The convicted individuals are Pramod Kumar Gangwar, who was the Divisional Engineer at BSNL Bareilly (UP) at the time, and private individuals Mehfooz Ali, Ejaz Alam (alias Mohd.), Ejaz Khan (alias Guddu), Shahnawaz Alam (alias Shahnawaz Khan alias Mikki), and Mohd. Kadir. They were found guilty of orchestrating a criminal conspiracy to defraud BSNL by hacking its computer system to facilitate illegal international calls.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered this case on September 19, 2011, following allegations that, between 2009 and 2010, the accused conspired to cheat BSNL. They installed 18 telephones in Bareilly and used them to route unauthorized international calls, leading to a wrongful loss of approximately ₹3.41 crore to BSNL and a corresponding wrongful gain to themselves.

After a thorough investigation, the CBI filed a chargesheet on May 30, 2014, against the six accused individuals. The court framed charges on September 30, 2015, marking the beginning of a detailed trial process. Ultimately, five of the accused were found guilty, while one individual, Mohd. Nayab, was acquitted by the court.

This ruling underscores the judicial system’s commitment to holding accountable those who engage in fraudulent activities that undermine public sector entities. The sentencing serves as a deterrent against future malpractices and reinforces the importance of integrity and security within public service operations.

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