The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against a former Indian Navy captain for allegedly accumulating disproportionate assets valued at more than Rs 3 crore, according to officials on Wednesday.
Career Details
The officer joined the Indian Navy as a sub-lieutenant in July 1989. He was promoted to the rank of captain in August 2016, equivalent to a colonel in the Army, before retiring in 2024. During his tenure as captain, he held several sensitive postings, including at the Directorate of Network Centric Operations, Headquarters Strategic Forces Command, Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, the Directorate of Quality Assurance (Naval) Cell in Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), the National Security Council Secretariat, and the Directorate of Naval Design (Submarine Design Group).
Asset Growth
The CBI alleged that the officer acquired multiple assets between 2010 and 2020, a period covering much of his service as commander and captain. During this time, the family’s assets reportedly increased from Rs 2.31 crore to Rs 6.90 crore, with the number of immovable properties nearly doubling, according to the FIR.
Disproportionate Assets
After accounting for the income and expenditure of the officer and his family members, including his wife and two sons, investigators concluded that assets worth Rs 3.18 crore could not be satisfactorily explained. This led to a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The FIR stated that the officer had constructed a farmhouse on land purchased in Panchkula in 2011, adding that the cost of construction and maintenance had not been included in the assessment.
It further noted that movable assets, including vehicles acquired during the check period, were also excluded from the calculation. Expenses related to the education of the officer’s children had not yet been factored in. According to investigators, the disproportionate assets are likely to rise further as additional expenditures are taken into account. The FIR also notes that the properties are located in upscale areas and alleges that the officer and his family maintained a lavish lifestyle.
This development comes a day after the central agency arrested a serving Indian Army colonel and a private individual in an alleged Rs 50 lakh bribery case.
