New Delhi: Federal investigating agency CBI on Friday said that it has arrested an official of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and a private executive associated with a Mumbai-based firm for alleged connivance in clearing bills and issuing completion certificates among other such favours.
The CBI said that the case involves bribery to the tune of Rs 10 lakh.
During the search operation on the premises of the accused and others at Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chandigarh and Jaipur, the CBI officials recovered cash of Rs 20.50 lakh.
“Both the arrested accused will be produced before the Competent Court. An investigation is continuing,” the CBI said in a media release.
The investigating agency said that a case has been registered against Chief General Manager (Tech) & Regional Officer-NHAI, Gandhinagar; Managing Director (MD) of a private company based in Mumbai and an official of the said company.
MD of an Ahmedabad-based private company and General Manager of another private company based at Gandhinagar along with other officials of the firm have also been booked.
“It was alleged that the Chief General Manager (Tech) & Regional Officer (RO)-NHAI, Gandhinagar (Gujarat) and others were indulging in illegal activities in connivance with certain representatives of private companies working in NHAI projects under his jurisdiction, to show them favour in the issuance of completion certificates, processing of bills, smooth progression of the awarded works and others etc,” the CBI said.
It was further alleged that the company officials were in contact with the Regional Officer of NHAI, Gandhinagar for obtaining favours through illegal means especially in respect of their ongoing project Package-I (Ahmedabad-Dholera from KM 0.00 to KM 22.00); Package-II (Ahmedabad-Dholera from KM 22.00 to KM 48.52) and RE Wall (reinforced earth wall used for sustaining soil laterally so that it can be retained at different levels on both sides of the carriageway) as well as EOT (Extension of Time) matter of Package-III Construction (Ahmedabad-Dholera from KM 48.52 to KM 71.06).
It was also alleged that in pursuance of the said conspiracy, the representatives of private company, as per the directions of CGM/RO, NHAI agreed to come to his residence at Gandhinagar. The company representative was also allegedly collecting the payment of undue advantage, to be paid to the NHAI officer, on behalf of other companies also.
“CBI apprehended the representative of a said private company and the CGM of NHAI and recovered the bribery amount of Rs10 lakh from the residence of said NHAI officer,” the CBI statement said.
