CBI arrests railway engineer for accepting Rs 5 lakh bribe

After negotiations, Suresh agreed to accept the first installment of Rs 5 lakh, the FIR alleged.Jagadeesh approached the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI with a complaint, triggering a discreet inquiry and verification of the allegations in a clandestine manner, the officials said.The allegations were substantiated during the enquiry and an FIR was registered against Suresh.The CBI laid a trap and caught the accused red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh from the complainant.

The CBI has arrested PR Suresh, Chief Engineer, South Central Railway, Secunderabad, for allegedly receiving illegal gratification of Rs 5 lakh for extending the ''currency of contract'' for the completion of an underconstruction railway overbridge, officials said on Thursday. Currency of contract implies the date of delivery of a project as given in the contract.

T Jagadeesh, the contractor, had sought an extension of the currency of contract, claiming that work was pending because the railways had not been able to provide certain promised components and want of approved drawings for steel girders, the officials said.

After getting the letter, Suresh threatened that he would cancel the contract citing several irregularities, the complainant alleged.

When Jagadeesh went to meet him to discuss the issues, Suresh allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 10 lakh to be delivered at his residence, along with the extension-seeking letter. After negotiations, Suresh agreed to accept the first installment of Rs 5 lakh, the FIR alleged.

Jagadeesh approached the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with a complaint, triggering a discreet inquiry and verification of the allegations in a clandestine manner, the officials said.

The allegations were substantiated during the enquiry and an FIR was registered against Suresh.

''The CBI laid a trap and caught the accused red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh from the complainant. Searches were conducted at the premises of the accused,'' agency spokesperson RC Joshi said.