CBI arrests 3 PWD officials of J&K for demanding bribe to clear project file

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday said it has arrested three officials of PWD (J&K) for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh from a complainant for clearing the file related to the construction of a medical sub-centre in Reasi district.

The CBI official said that one of the arrested accused is a superintending engineer, the second is a technical officer and the third is a junior engineer. All were posted with PWD (R&B), Circle Udhampur-Reasi. The official said that after receiving a complaint the CBI lodged a case and formed a team of officials to look into the matter.

"We received a complaint that the officials were demanding a bribe. It was alleged that the complainant's firm was awarded the tender for construction of a medical sub-centre in District Reasi during 2017-18 and the complainant executed a part of the project. It was further alleged that Superintending Engineer, PWD (R&B), Circle Udhampur-Reasi demanded a bribe of Rs 3 lakh from the complainant for processing the file related to technical sanction of the said project," the official said.

He added that the CBI laid a trap to nab the accused officials and called the junior engineer to hand over part of the bribe which was Rs 1.5 lakh.

"We caught him red handed demanding and accepting the bribe from the complainant. He was receiving it on behalf of Superintending Engineer, on the instructions of Technical Officer. Later, the Superintending Engineer and Technical Officer were also caught," the official said.

The CBI conducted searches at the office and residential premises of the accused at Jammu, Udhampur and Srinagar and recovered some incriminating documents.

The CBI produced all the three accused before the court of Special Judge in Jammu which remanded them into judicial custody.