New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested four public officials in two separate bribery cases in the national capital, exposing alleged corruption within civic and heritage bodies, the agency said on Friday.

“The CBI officials laid traps on April 1, resulting in the arrest of a junior engineer (JE) and a Beldar from Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) Shahdara North Zone, alongside a conservation assistant and a monument attendant from the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) Jantar Mantar sub-circle in the national capital,” the agency added.

In the first case, the agency registered a complaint on March 31 against a Beldar posted with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi in Shahdara North Zone in Delhi.

The accused allegedly demanded a Rs 80,000 bribe from a complainant in exchange for not demolishing a recently renovated house, the CBI said quoting the complaint.

Acting on the complaint, the CBI sleuths laid a trap on April 1 and caught the Beldar red-handed while accepting the initial sum of Rs 5,000. The investigators said the accused was also seeking Rs 70,000 on behalf of a junior engineer in the same zone.

During the operation, the involvement of the junior engineer came to light, leading to his arrest.

In a separate case, the CBI registered a case on March 30 against two officials of the ASI posted at the Jantar Mantar sub-circle.

A monument attendant was accused of demanding Rs 3.5 lakh on behalf of a conservation assistant to revoke an official notice issued on March 24 and allow the continuation of certain works.

Following negotiations, the accused allegedly agreed to Rs 3.10 lakh and instructed the complainant to pay Rs 1 lakh as an initial instalment.

The CBI laid a trap on April 1 and apprehended the monument attendant while accepting the part payment.

Officials said further probe during the operation confirmed the role of the conservation assistant, who was subsequently arrested.

All four accused have been taken into custody, and further investigation is in progress to examine the extent of the alleged corruption and identify any wider network involved, the agency said.

–IANS

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