CBI today arrested a Deputy Secretary and a Section Officer of Rural Development Ministry for allegedly taking bribe for clearing bills of a taxi company supplying cars to the Ministry.
CBI sources said Deputy Secretary Satish Kalhotra and Section Officer Pradhan Singh have been apprehended for accepting a bribe of Rs 45,000 from the taxi supplying firm.
They said the duo had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 68,000 from the company for clearing the bills worth Rs 6.8 lakh while the final deal was settled at Rs 45,000 to be delivered today.
Agency sleuths, who got information about the bribe, laid a trap and caught Singh red-handed while allegedly receiving the money. When grilled, Singh claimed he was not the only one involved and his superior Kalhotra also "receives the cut", the sources said.
The CBI team asked Singh to take the money to Kalhotra who allegedly received it and kept it in his bag, they said.
The team carried out a raid at his office and recovered the alleged bribe amount from the bag, the sources said.
They said CBI has registered a case under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
"Searches are being conducted in the office and residential premises of the accused. Further investigation is in progress. Both the accused will be produced tomorrow before the designated court," CBI spokesperson Kanchan Prasad said.
