Bhubaneswar, July 10 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended accused Chief Manager (Mining) of Mahanadi Coal Limited (MCL), Basundhara Area, Sundargarh district of Odisha while receiving a bribe of Rs. 20,000 from a person to facilitate the release of compensation of Rs 11.37 lakhs in favour of a land oustee, informed the central agency in a press statement on Thursday.

The accused was identified as Akhilesh Kumar Verma, who works as the chief manager of MCL, Basundhara in Sundargarh district.

A case was registered against Verma by the CBI on Wednesday.

According to a complaint lodged by Ranjan Padhan of the Hemagiri area in Sundargarh, the accused initially demanded Rs 40,000 from Padhan to facilitate the release of financial compensation in favour of Sujan Patta, in exchange for the acquisition of Patta’s house located at Jhumpurunga under the jurisdiction of Hemagiri police limits in Sundargarh district.

The accused, Verma, allegedly agreed to accept Rs 30,000 after negotiations by the complainant.

Patta, despite his reluctance, paid Rs 10,000 as the first instalment of the total bribe amount to Verma on June 3.

The complainant alleged that the accused later repeatedly contacted him by phone, insisting on the payment of the remaining bribe amount. Finding no other way, Padhan lodged a complaint with the CBI on Wednesday.

Acting on a complaint, the CBI laid a trap and caught Verma red-handed while accepting the bribe amount on Wednesday.

“It was alleged that the accused Chief Manager (Mining), Mahanadi Coal Limited (MCL), demanded a bribe of Rs 30,000 from the complainant for facilitating the release of compensation fund amount of Rs.11,37,595 in favour of the relative of the complainant, the beneficiary, payable in connection with acquisition of land,” added the CBI.

–IANS

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