The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked Tata Consulting Engineers Limited, a Tata Group entity, along with global maritime firm Boskalis Smit and senior officials at Mumbai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), in an alleged corruption and fraud case totalling Rs 800 crore.
According to the CBI, the consulting firm, acting as a project management consultant, colluded with port officials to unduly favour select private entities during large-scale dredging operations carried out in two critical phases between 2010 and 2019. The dredging projects, which involved deepening and widening port channels, were part of JNPT’s expansion strategy.
Investigators allege that Tata Consulting Engineers played a key role in recommending contractors and skewing project evaluations to benefit specific players, including Boskalis Smit, which now faces charges in the case. The complaint points to manipulated tender processes, inflated project costs, and suppressed dissent within the committee handling approvals.
The case comes just days after another blow to the Tata Group, following a deadly Air India crash. While the two events are unrelated, the timing has sparked further scrutiny of the conglomerate’s operational oversight.
As the investigation unfolds, the CBI is expected to summon senior executives for questioning and examine financial trails linked to the contracts. JNPT, one of India’s busiest ports, has not yet issued an official response.
This case highlights growing concerns around transparency in public infrastructure projects and raises critical questions about the safeguards in place for consultancy-led management roles.
