Nagpur: In one more big catch, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) netted the Assistant Divisional Engineer (South) of Central Railway A B Chaturvedi for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1.80 lakh from a contractor at DRM office in Nagpur on Thursday. The CBI a few days back, had arrested three top officials of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) in Nagpur on graft charges.
The complainant, a contractor from Wardha, is engaged in supply of ballast. Incidentally, Chaturvedi had relinquished charge of ADEN (South) just a day before and was posted as ADEN (Track Machine). During his charge as ADEN (South), the accused officer Chaturvedi had cleared bills worth Rs 89.55 lakh of Subhash Surana, partner M/s Subhash Fattechand Surana,Wardha. Against the total bill amount, Chaturvedi allegedly demanded 2 per cent as bribe. The demand was made by the officer on Wednesday. Taken aback by the bribe demand, Surana promptly reached the office of CBI at CGO Complex and met Senior Superintendent M S Khan and lodged a complaint. Surana narrated the entire details of the contract and reported about the bribe demand allegedly by Chaturvedi.
After receiving the complaint, the CBI first carried out a preliminary inquiry and reportedly surveyed the office of Chaturvedi on the first floor of DRM office complex on Kingsway. Surana talked with the ADEN and fixed the time for paying the bribe money. On Thursday afternoon, Surana walked into the chamber of Chaturvedi and the bribe money was handed over. Within moments, the CBI officials stormed Chaturvedi’s chamber and caught him red-handed.
After the trap, a team of CBI raided Chaturvedi’s official bungalow in Civil Lines area. Searches were being carried out and CBI sleuths were busy with examining the documents and other related items that they found at the bungalow. They also carried out searches in the office.
Chaturvedi was booked under the amended provisions of Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and taken into custody by the CBI.
The CBI team that carried out the trap included Deputy Superintendent Sandeep Chowgule, Deputy SP Dinesh Tadpe, PI R P Singh, PI Kalyani Humane and PSI Manoj Kumar.
