Former Post Fiji Chief Executive Dr. Anirudha Bansod has been sentenced to 18 months in prison by Resident Magistrate Yogesh Prasad. This decision was made due to the case’s public interest and its significance as a deterrent, leading the magistrate to determine that the sentence would not be suspended.
The court found that Dr. Bansod submitted a false declaration concerning confidentiality and conflict of interest, falsely claiming he had no connections with Technobase IT Solutions PVT Limited. Evidence revealed that he was familiar with a key personnel from the company and had violated the trust placed in him to act in Post Fiji Limited’s best interests.
Magistrate Prasad highlighted that Dr. Bansod, as the CEO and Chairperson of the tender committee, was in a significant position to influence decisions. He engaged in systematic communication with Vaibhai Deshpande of Technobase IT Solutions regarding tender matters while failing to disclose their prior acquaintance.
The exchanges between Dr. Bansod and Deshpande through WhatsApp demonstrated that insider information related to the government tendering process was leaked to the Indian company. The magistrate pointed out that Post Fiji’s company policy mandates declaring any conflicts of interest, a requirement Dr. Bansod ignored despite being provided with the necessary forms.
Dr. Bansod was found guilty of abuse of office and general dishonesty resulting in financial loss in the Suva Magistrates Court. This ruling is linked to the tender process for the design, development, and implementation of the Post Fiji Mobile Application in 2022. He has 28 days to file an appeal in the High Court.