Srinagar, April 1 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested two public servants, including a senior officer of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), in connection with a bribery case in Srinagar, officials said.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Vinay Kumar, serving as Regional Provident Fund Commissioner (RPFC) at the EPFO office in Batmaloo, and Amin Sofi, a Senior Security Assistant posted at the same office.

According to officials, the CBI registered a case on March 31, after receiving a complaint alleging that the RPFC had demanded a bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh. The complainant, who runs a school, claimed that the demand was made in exchange for not initiating adverse action and avoiding the imposition of a substantial penalty against the institution.

Acting swiftly on the complaint, the agency laid a trap on the same day. During the operation, Sofi was allegedly caught red-handed while accepting Rs 50,000 from the complainant on behalf of the RPFC. Officials said the trap was executed following due legal procedure and in the presence of independent witnesses to ensure transparency.

Following the recovery of the bribe amount, Vinay Kumar was also taken into custody. According to investigators, he allegedly acknowledged that the money had been received through the intermediary, further strengthening the case against him.

The arrests took place in the Batmaloo area of Srinagar, where the EPFO regional office is located. Officials said that searches are being carried out and further investigation is underway to determine whether other officials were involved in the alleged bribery network. The agency is also examining whether similar demands were made from other establishments in the region.

The CBI reiterated its commitment to cracking down on corruption in public offices and urged citizens to come forward and report instances of bribery or misconduct.

Further investigation into the case is in progress.

–IANS

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