CBI to register more cases in connection with LTC scam

CBI will soon be registering two more cases in connection with its probe into the Leave Travel Concession scam in which it has registered a case against a Rajya Sabha member of Janata Dal (United).

Highly placed sources said the agency has found some more instances of alleged criminality during scrutiny of documents and it will be filing the cases next week.

In the first FIR in the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) scam, CBI has booked JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP for allegedly siphoning off around Rs 9.5 lakh by presenting fake air tickets and boarding passes.

Besides the MP, an Air India customer Service agent Rubaina Akhtar and a Lajpat Nagar-based travel operator Air Cruise Travels Private Limited were also named in the FIR in the scam in which LTC claims were forged for travel on state-run Air India.

CBI sources said more cases could be also registered in connection with thefake travel bills case – also known as LTC scam – which was referred to the agency by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).

All the members of Parliament get 34 free air tickets in a year for themselves, their family members and associates for domestic travel to their constituencies.

During its analysis of documents, CBI had found prima facie irregularities in claiming the LTC with an intention to maximise the personal benefit by scuttling the laid-down norms, which was done in collusion with the travel agents.

The scam had come to light after the vigilance department of Air India (AI) was alerted about the arrest of a man in March last year at Kolkata airport with 600 blank boarding passes of the airline in his possession.