MUMBAI, June 21 -- The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked the former chief manager, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), and four others, including three firms, for cheating, conspiracy, corruption and causing losses of over Rs.800 crore to the port authority. The alleged irregularities are linked to the dredging of navigational channels between 2003 to 2019. The CBI registered the case on Wednesday on the basis of the findings of a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) that began in June 2022. The PE which was initiated to look into allegations of complicity between port officials of JNPA and the private companies that CBI says led to inflated estimates, restriction of competition in order to extend undue favour to some international bidders, and suppression of reports of independent experts/organisations. CBI conducted searches at the residential premises of certain officers of the JNPA and the offices of accused private companies at five places in Mumbai and Chennai, which led to the recovery of a number of incriminating documents. P6...