CBI arrests Western Coalfield officer in bribery case

The CBI has arrested a sub-area manager of Western Coalfields Limited for allegedly demanding a bribe of over Rs 3 lakh for allowing a company to lift coal from the Ghonsa open cast mine, officials said Tuesday.The agency acted on a complaint from a transport company, Shree Transport, that Jitta Trading Company had purchased 8200 MT coal through e-auction and authorised it to lift the coal from the mine before January 11, they said.Shree Transport could lift only 4623 MT till the deadline, they said.

The CBI has arrested a sub-area manager of Western Coalfields Limited for allegedly demanding a bribe of over Rs 3 lakh for allowing a company to lift coal from the Ghonsa open cast mine, officials said Tuesday.

The agency acted on a complaint from a transport company, Shree Transport, that Jitta Trading Company had purchased 8200 MT coal through e-auction and authorised it to lift the coal from the mine before January 11, they said.

Shree Transport could lift only 4623 MT till the deadline, they said. When the company executives reached the office of Sub-Area Manager Gautam Basutkar's Office on January 31, 2023, to get new delivery order for 2500 MT coal, the officer refused to issue the new delivery order.

It is alleged that the officer demanded a bribe of Rs. 3.23 lakh at the rate of Rs 70 per MT in respect of 4,623 MTS already lifted by the company.

The complaint alleged that the accused officer demanded a total undue advantage of Rs 3.65 lakh, including Rs 3.23 lakh in respect of 4,623 MTS coal already lifted and Rs 42,000 for earlier favour rendered by him.

Basutkar allegedly agreed to accept the bribe amount of Rs 3.19 lakh during negotiations. When the first instalment of Rs 1 lakh was to exchange hands, the CBI laid a trap based on the complaint and arrested the officer red-handed while receiving the illicit money, they said.

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