New Delhi, May 30 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on Friday, arrested two accused, including a Branch Manager of Bihar Gramin Bank of Babhangama branch in Bihar’s Sitamarhi and a daily wager employee (private person), for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from the customer.

A case was registered by CBI on Thursday against the manager on allegations that he demanded a bribe of Rs 15,000 from the complainant for releasing the subsidy amount related to already sanctioned and disbursed PM’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) loan to the complainant in 2022.

The CBI laid a trap and caught both the accused red handed while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 10,000 from the complainant.

Later, both the accused were arrested for production before the CBI Court of Special Judge in Patna.

Earlier in a separate case, the CBI booked an officer of Vijaywada-based Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Ramakanth Sagar Muthyala, for demanding Rs 1 lakh bribe from a water hand pump maker in exchange for granting a licence.

After the inspection of the firm’s workshop on March 4, Muthyala demanded Rs 1 lakh bribe for giving a positive report.

The firm owner paid Rs 75,000.

Thereafter, the BIS Joint Director submitted a report of physical inspection of the firm and a licence was granted to it later.

The owner of Vizia Visakha Enterprises, S. Srinivasa Rao, transferred Rs 75,000 bribe through mobile wallet on March 4, 2025, in two instalments of Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000.

The complainant had applied for BIS licence for his firm on February 20 through his consultant Ayush Sarma of A.N. Global Services, Delhi.

After submitting the application, Sarma told the complainant that Muthyala will contact him for inspection of the firm’s workshop at Srikakulam ahead of issuance of BIS licence.

After getting approval from competent authority, the CBI registered the FIR against the BIS official on May 27.

The Vijayawada-based accused was booked by the CBI for demanding and accepting illegal gratification/undue advantage.

–IANS

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