The former CEO of Post Fiji Pte Limited, Anirudha Bansod, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for misconduct in office. The sentence was handed down by Magistrate Yogesh Prasad during a hearing at the Suva Magistrate’s Court.
Bansod was convicted for submitting a fake confidentiality and conflict of interest declaration during the tender process for the design, development, and implementation of the Post Fiji Mobile Application. The contract was awarded to TechnoBase IT Solutions PVT Limited, an Indian firm with which Bansod had personal ties.
Evidence presented in court showed that Bansod communicated with Vaibhav Deshpande from TechnoBase IT Solutions via WhatsApp, sharing confidential information that contributed to the company winning the contract for e-Wallet services.
Although Bansod was a first-time offender and expressed regret, his admission of guilt came late in the prosecution’s case. Magistrate Prasad emphasized that the offense compromised the integrity of government institutions and chose not to suspend the sentence.
Bansod has 28 days to file an appeal against the ruling at the High Court in Suva.