Jamnagar, April 2 (IANS) A Class-II officer of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) was arrested by the Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 4.52 lakh in Jamnagar.

The accused, Vijaykumar Meena, was serving as an Assistant Engineer in the Electrical Branch of the CPWD.

According to ACB officials, the trap was laid following a complaint by a person whose friend had been asked to pay a bribe to secure clearance of pending bills linked to electrical works.

The contracts involved electrical installations at a pharmaceutical research centre under construction near Lakhabavad village in Jamnagar district, being jointly developed by Gujarat Ayurved University and the World Health Organization, and at the BSF Marine Training Centre in Mojap village of Dwarka taluka in Devbhumi Dwarka district.

Officials said the accused had demanded Rs 4.52 lakh to process the bills.

As the complainant’s friend was unwilling to pay, the ACB organised a trap at the accused’s chamber in the CPWD office located within the Gujarat Ayurved University campus.

During the operation, Meena allegedly engaged in a conversation with the complainant, reiterated the demand, and accepted the full bribe amount.

The entire sum was recovered. Investigators stated that the accused also confirmed receipt of the bribe over a mobile phone call with the complainant’s friend before being apprehended.

“The accused was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe amount, which has been fully recovered,” an official statement said.

The operation was led by the ACB unit in Rajkot along with a team in Jamnagar. Further investigation is underway.

In recent months, the ACB has carried out similar operations across the state.

In December last year, two CID Crime personnel, including an inspector, were trapped while allegedly accepting a Rs 30 lakh bribe to influence an investigation.

In another case in November, a junior engineer of Uttar Gujarat Vij Company Limited (UGVCL) was caught accepting Rs 50,000 for providing an electricity connection.

–IANS

mys/pgh