Former BSNL general manager and five others sentenced to rigorous imprisonment and fines

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

In the multi-crore scam related to the BSNL telephone bill printing contract awarded in the year 2000, the CBI court, after nearly one-and-a-half decades, convicted the former general manager and seven others for misuse of official position by public servants to confer undue benefit on a private company. Special CBI court judge Sanjay K. Kulkarni pronounced the verdict on February 9, 2026, awarding rigorous imprisonment and fines to the accused. The court observed that the act was not merely a violation of rules, but a deliberate act of fraud.

The convicted accused include former general manager Darshankumar Sitaram Khanna, director (finance) Ganpat Pandharinath Bhokare, Danish Shafkat Bhagat, Rohan Suresh Vaidya, Kartik R. K. Shahani and Rohit Mastaram Gupta.

What was the case?

CBI investigations revealed serious irregularities in the awarding of the telephone bill printing contract at the local BSNL office. Senior officials at the time colluded with officials of Xerox Modicorp Limited and interfered in the tender process. As a result of this conspiracy, the private company gained financial benefits, while BSNL suffered substantial losses.

During the investigation, evidence emerged that the former BSNL general manager and other concerned officials had accepted illegal gratification for awarding the contract. Special public prosecutor Arvind Kumar, appearing for the CBI, proved that general manager Khanna, director (finance) Ganpat Bhokare and other officials misused their positions and accepted bribes.

Sentences awarded

Under the Prevention of Corruption Act and provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), the court sentenced former general manager Darshankumar Khanna to two years of rigorous imprisonment and a total fine of Rs 2 lakh. Director (finance) Ganpat Bhokare was sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment under two separate sections and fined a total of Rs 1 lakh.

For conspiracy, Khanna, Bhokare, Danish Bhagat, Rohan Suresh Vaidya, Kartik Shahani and Rohit Gupta were each sentenced to six months of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 25,000. In default of payment, they will have to undergo one additional month of rigorous imprisonment.

For cheating, Danish Bhagat, Rohan Vaidya, Kartik Shahani and Rohit Gupta were each sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 50,000. In case of non-payment, they will have to undergo one additional month of rigorous imprisonment.