Panaji: A corruption case was registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of CBI against two officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Goa circle. The ASI Goa officials were found to have favoured two contractors for ASI Goa works by awarding them 69 out of 71 contracts or work orders. In return, the ACB found that the ASI officials took favours from the contractors in the form of flight tickets.The irregularity in the award of work contracts was found between 2022-25, the FIR stated. CBI alleged the officials helped them get these works by keeping out other eligible bidders or by not rejecting their bids even when they did not meet technical requirements.The officials named are Suddamalla Reddy (senior conservation assistant, ASI Goa) and SK Md Tausif (then conservation assistant in ASI Goa, now working as a junior engineer in West Bengal). Both were on the committee that checked and approved bids.CBI said that the contractors in-return gave the officials benefits. Tausif and his wife allegedly got a flight ticket on June 7, 2023, worth Rs 18,020, using the contractor’s Canara Bank debit card. He also allegedly received Rs 8,850 on Sep 28, 2023, and Rs 10,100 on Nov 28, 2023, through GPay into his SBI account. Reddy allegedly got a flight ticket on April 17, 2024, worth Rs 2,580, paid by the contractor through UPI.“The acts on part of accused persons prima facie discloses commission of cognisable offences viz. criminal conspiracy, obtaining undue advantage in lieu of official work, offence relating to bribing a public servant, abetment of offence under PC Act and constitute offences punishable ws 120-B IPC and 61(2) BNS read with section 7, 8 & 12 of PC Act 1988 (as amended in 2018) and substantive offences thereof,” the FIR stated.ASI headquarters in New Delhi gave approval on Jan 6, 2026, to investigate the two ASI officials.
