CBI registers case against NIPER officials

New Delhi, February 12

A case of alleged corruption has been registered by CBI against officials of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) and a private company in the purchase of licenses for accessing a global patent database software causing losses of Rs 10 crore.

CBI sources today said eight officials of the Mohali-based autonomous institute under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, including present officiating Director, former Director and other senior officials have been named by the agency in the FIR.

They said a Pune-based private company Sciedge Informatics has also been named in the FIR filed under IPC sections relating to criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.

It is alleged that the company was supplying annual licenses for accessing global patent database software ‘Scifinder’ at the rate of $36,000 to other companies, while it was supplying these licenses to NIPER at the rate of $51,000 annual rate thus causing a loss of Rs 10 crore between 2007 and 2012, the sources said.

The query sent to the company seeking reaction remained unanswered.

It is alleged that unknown officials of Union Chemical and Fertilisers Ministry also entered in criminal conspiracy in the misappropriation of funds, falsification of records and diversion of funds in the process, they said.

The sources said searches are going on at 22 places in the National Capital, Bhopal, Thiruvananthapuram, Kurukshetra, Chandigarh, Mohali, Bhatinda and Pune.

They said searches have been conducted at the residence of officials and office of NIPER.

A report from Chandigarh said a CBI team swooped on the institute’s campus today and raided the offices and residences of the accused persons. — PTI