New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) In a significant development, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended a Dealing Assistant employed with the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), posted at INA’s Vikas Sadan office, on charges of accepting a bribe in connection with a freehold application.

The case was officially registered on July 29, 2025, after the CBI received a complaint from a Delhi-based individual.

According to the complainant, the DDA official had demanded a bribe of Rs 50,000 in exchange for processing the complainant’s application for the freehold of a commercial shop, said CBI in a press release issued here on Wednesday.

The complainant, unwilling to pay the bribe, approached the CBI with the allegation, the release added.

Upon receiving the complaint, the agency quickly initiated a preliminary inquiry and found sufficient grounds to lay a trap. The CBI organised the operation on the same day, July 29, at the DDA office in INA. During the trap proceedings, the accused Dealing Assistant was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 20,000 as part-payment of the demanded bribe.

Sources within the CBI revealed that the trap was executed with proper surveillance and coordination. The transaction was closely monitored, and as soon as the official accepted the cash, he was taken into custody on the spot. The agency also confirmed that the original bribe demand was for Rs 50,000, and the official was in the process of collecting it in instalments, starting with the Rs 20,000 that led to his arrest.

The accused is currently being questioned, and searches have been conducted at his official and residential premises to gather further evidence related to the case. Investigators are also examining whether more individuals within the DDA office were involved in similar corrupt practices.

The CBI spokesperson stated that the agency remains committed to taking strict action against corruption in public offices and encouraged the public to report such demands without fear. Further investigation in the case is ongoing.

–IANS

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