Guwahati, June 14 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested a senior section engineer, employed with Northeast Frontier Railway over alleged bribery in Assam’s Silchar on Sunday.

The engineer was allegedly caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 from the complainant.

A case was registered against the government official and was to be produced before court on Sunday.

According to CBI sleuths, the Railway engineer demanded bribe for clearing bills.

A bill amounting to about Rs 20 lakh, pertaining to work executed by the complainant-cum-contractor, was pending for clearance by the accused official of Northeast Frontier Railway.

When the complainant approached the senior section Engineer, requesting him to clear the invoice, the accused demanded one per cent of the total pending bill amount as illegal gratification for processing and clearing the bill.

The CBI laid a trap and caught the accused red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 from the complainant. The accused was subsequently arrested.

The CBI sleuths are set to produce him before a Guwahati court for seeking custody.

Meanwhile, searches at the residential premises of the accused are currently underway.

Several days ago, in similar instance, the CBI arrested an Assistant Divisional Engineer Northern Railways, posted in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal and his subordinate, a Trackman, while accepting illegal gratification from the complainant.

He demanded two per cent commission on clearance of pending bills of a private company.

The CBI team laid a trap and caught the accused red-handed while accepting illegal gratification of Rs 34,000 from the complainant.

In another instance, the CBI nabbed deputy chief engineer in West Central Railway for alleged acceptance of Rs 1 lakh bribe in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district, earlier this month.

The officer was demanding Rs 1 lakh commission from a contractor for releasing security deposit and clearing pending bills and PVC dues, amounting to nearly Rs 1 crore related to contract work.

A case was registered on June 4 and arrest took place on June 6.

More than Rs 62,000 unaccounted cash was recovered from the accused official’s residence.

–IANS

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