Pune : A bribe of $770,000 (approximately INR 4.5 crore) was paid to secure environmental clearance for a commercial building construction. The Pune Anti-Corruption Department filed a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act at Bund garden Police Station on Wednesday, stemming from incidents that occurred in Pune between 2012 and 2014. The complainant sought to file a case in the session court, leading to the Pune ACB initiating proceedings against former officers of Cognizant Technology Solutions India Private Limited, including Deputy Director Srimanikand Ramamurthy, Larsen & Toubro employees, government officials, and unidentified private individuals. Cognizant Technology Solutions India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation America, had undertaken projects in various Indian cities, including Pune and Madras. Ramamurthy and L&T coordinated with local authorities to illicitly obtain environmental clearance for the Hinjewadi building project. An amount of $770,000 was reportedly paid as a bribe to undisclosed officials. Following a lack of response from the ACB, the complainant escalated the matter to the Sessions Court. The court directed the Pune ACB to investigate and file a case under Section 156 of the Penal Code, resulting in the ACB lodging a complaint at Bundgarden police station. Pune ACB's Deputy Superintendent of Police Sudam Pachorkar is overseeing the ongoing investigation.
