CBI's Manoj Sashidhar who probed high profile cases gets President's medal

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Joint Director Manoj Sashidhar, who has investigated some high profile cases like the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, Vijay Mallya bank fraud case and former Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh case has been awarded the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service on the occasion of Independence Day.

Besides Sashidhar, 29 CBI officers have also been awarded the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service and Police Medal for Meritorious Service by President Ram Nath Kovind.

According to CBI officers, Sashidhar, a 1994 batch IPS officer of the Gujarat cadre and a native of Kerala, has handled some of the most high profile and sensitive cases.

They include the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, Anil Deshmukh bribery allegation case and Vijay Mallya bank fraud case.

Sashidhar was also instrumental in the recovery of Rs one crore from a railway officer recently. He was also involved in the probe against a former engineer of the railways from whom the agency recovered Rs 4 crore deposited cash and over 25 kg of gold bars.

An official said that in Gujarat, Sashidhar has held several important posts. He had held the position of Commissioner of Police in Surat, head of the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Head of the Ahmedabad Crime Branch and ADG of the Gujarat State Intelligence Bureau.

The official added that Sashidhar was also the chairman of the Committee that was formed to revise the Gujarat Police Manual.

Ramavtar Yadav, who is currently posted as Additional Superintendent of Police in the CBI and is the investigating officer in the AgustaWestland case has been awarded the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service.

Seema Pahuja, Dy SP of the CBI, who probed the Guriya rape and murder case of Himachal Pradesh and also assisted in the Hathras gang rape case, has been bestowed the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service.

Besdies Sashidhar, Yadav and Pahuja, CBI's Additional SP Kaptan Singh Lohchab posted in ACB Ghaziabad, Naresh Kumar, Assistant Sub Inspector posted in New Delhi and Laxmi Chand, Head Constable posted in the national capital have also been awarded the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service.

The President's Police Medal for Meritorious Service has been awarded to Devendra Singh Chauhan, Dy SP, CBI, STB, New Delhi, R. Purushotham, Dy SP, CBI, SU, Kolkata, Naresh Talwar, Dy SP, ACB, Raipur, Ravinder Kush, Dy SP SCB, Chandigarh, Harjeet Singh Sachan, Dy SP, SCB, Lucknow, Ajeet Singh, Dy SP, EO-I New Delhi, Satish Chandra Jha, Dy SP, EO-VI, Ranchi.

Besides them, CBI Inspectors Ganesha Lingaiah, P. Muthukumar, M. Sasirekha, Jyoti Ranjan Barik are also on the list of the awardees.