Assistant engineer held for taking bribe

An assistant engineer (AE) was arrested on Wednesday allegedly while he was taking a bribe of Rs 5 lakh in Rajasthan's Barmer district, an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) official said.

Sohan Lal, who was posted as AE at Dhorimana panchayat samiti, had allegedly demanded the bribe from private firms for clearing bills of development works.

Lal had already taken Rs 16 lakh from the complainant, Rajasthan ACB Director General B L Soni said in a statement.

The complaint was verified following which the AE was caught red-handed taking the bribe, the ACB official said.

A case has been registered under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and residence of the accused is being searched, he said.