Two ONGC managers accused of 'booty collection'
Yadav's letter to Pradhan on June 1 is accompanied by two letters sent on May 22 to oil ministry vigilance director Vijay Sharma from Mubeen Ahmad.
One letter details allegations against Shibu Manuel, the other against Jai Shankar Lal. Ahmad, whose link to the oil and gas sector could not be ascertained, claims he comes from a family with several members who have served ONGC at onshore and offshore installations.
He ascribes his motive in naming the two ONGC officers on a claim he has lost one family member to a "tragic offshore accident due to no other reason but incorrect and sub-standard procurement of capital equipment and spares by corrupt ONGC officials." Ahmad alleges that Manuel, in the role of assistant to then Mumbai High asset manager Rajesh Kakkar, "gained access to confidential documents" and that when Kakkar was elevated to the role of director offshore in February (2018) Manuel "also 'managed' to be conveniently moved" to the director offshore's office. He adds Manuel's "perceived proximity" to Kakkar "made him more powerful in terms of negotiating financial favours" and resulted in him becoming the "booty collector" from vendors for senior ONGC officers.
Ahmad alleges that Manuel's continued presence in the same job for 10 years is a breach of CVC guidelines which require officers to be "rotated" after serving three years in a "sensitive" position. Ahmad demands Manuel's transfer to a "non-sensitive position in a distant work centre."
