Police to probe bribery charges against Cognizant
April 26, 2024  23:03
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File image
The sessions court here has directed the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Maharashtra police to investigate allegations against IT major Cognizant Technologies that it paid a bribe through a contractor to local government officials to secure necessary permits and environmental clearances for its campus at Hinjawadi on the city's outskirts. 

The bribe was allegedly paid between 2013 and 2014. The order was passed on April 19, on a complaint filed by Delhi-based environmental activist and retired police officer Prit Pal Singh through his lawyer Pratik Rajopadhye. 

The complaint relied on proceedings of the Securities Exchange Commission of the USA against Cognizant Technology Private Ltd's parent firm Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation, USA regarding alleged bribing and violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. 

Singh had requested the Pune court to direct the ACB to register an offence under the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act against Cognizant, its Indian construction contractor, and Manikandan Rammurthy, former vice president (administration and real estate officer, Cognizant, India). 

Additional sessions judge SB Hedaoo stated in the order that as the reference to the alleged transaction was found in the US SEC order, there was sufficient material to forward the complaint to the ACB Pune. -- PTI
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