Bombay High Court Slams CBI Over Privacy Breach in ₹800 Crore Scam Probe, Grants Relief to TCE

The Bombay High Court stayed a CBI probe against Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE) in a ₹800 crore scam linked to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority's capital dredging project. The court cited procedural lapses during the investigation and criticized the CBI for breaching privacy by publishing the password of a TCE director's laptop. The court also noted that the password disclosure caused damage to the individual and constituted tampering, which are grounds for discharge.

The Bombay High Court has stayed the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) probe against Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE) in a ₹800 crore scam linked to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority's (JNPA) capital dredging project. The court cited procedural lapses during the investigation and criticized the CBI for breaching privacy by publishing the password of a TCE director's laptop. The court also noted that the password disclosure caused damage to the individual and constituted tampering, which are grounds for discharge.

The CBI registered a case on June 18, 2025, against the former Chief Manager of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority at Navi Mumbai, and four others, including three firms, on charges of cheating, conspiracy, corruption, and causing losses of over ₹800 crore to JNPA. The Bombay High Court, on Tuesday (July 15, 2025), stayed the probe citing procedural lapses and privacy breaches.

The FIR named former JNPA chief manager Sunil Kumar Madabhavi, TCE director Devdutt Bose, Boskalis Smit India LLP, Mumbai, and Jan De Nul Dredging India Pvt. Ltd, Chennai, and other officials and firms involved in the project. The CBI's statement alleged that during the maintenance of dredged channels in Phase-I of the project, JNPA made excess payments aggregating to ₹365.9 crore to the contractors against claims raised for over-dredging of channels. In Phase-II, JNPT made an additional excess payment of ₹438 crore, showing no over-dredging was done in Phase-I or its maintenance period.

The court noted that the memo disclosed the password of a laptop belonging to Devdutt Bose, which it deemed a serious violation of privacy and the Information Technology Act. The court also raised concerns about whether the disclosure was made with malicious intent, potentially benefiting competitors.

The court has directed the CBI to clarify key aspects of the FIR, including the source of the complaint and whether the matter had previously been examined by the Attorney General for India or the JNPT Board of Trustees. The case is scheduled to be heard again after two weeks.

References:
[1] https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/bombay-high-court-criticises-cbi-over-privacy-breach-in-800-crore-scam-probe-grants-relief-to-tce/article69815911.ece