CBI Arrests Four Officials, Including ASI Staff, in Major Bribery Operations in Delhi
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New Delhi, April 3 (NationPress) - The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) apprehended four public officials in two distinct bribery operations within the national capital, revealing purported corruption within local civic and heritage organizations, as stated by the agency on Friday.
On April 1, the CBI conducted surveillance operations that led to the detention of a junior engineer (JE) and a Beldar from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) Shahdara North Zone. Additionally, a conservation assistant and a monument attendant from the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) Jantar Mantar sub-circle were also arrested, as reported by the agency.
In the initial case, the agency initiated a complaint on March 31 against a Beldar working in the Shahdara North Zone of Delhi. The accused allegedly solicited a bribe of Rs 80,000 from a complainant to prevent the demolition of a recently renovated residence, according to the CBI's statements.
Following the complaint, CBI operatives executed a sting operation on April 1, apprehending the Beldar in the act of accepting a portion of the bribe, which was Rs 5,000. Investigators revealed that the accused was also attempting to collect an additional Rs 70,000 on behalf of a junior engineer in the same division.
The investigation subsequently uncovered the junior engineer's involvement, leading to his arrest as well.
In a separate incident, the CBI filed a case on March 30 against two ASI officials stationed at the Jantar Mantar sub-circle. A monument attendant was implicated in demanding Rs 3.5 lakh on behalf of a conservation assistant to rescind an official notice issued on March 24, allowing specific work to proceed.
After negotiations, the accused purportedly consented to accept Rs 3.10 lakh and instructed the complainant to provide an initial payment of Rs 1 lakh.
The CBI executed a trap on April 1, catching the monument attendant red-handed during the transaction of the advance payment. Further inquiries during the operation confirmed the conservation assistant's involvement, leading to his subsequent arrest.
All four individuals are now in custody, and the investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent of the alleged corruption and to identify any broader networks involved, as per the agency's announcement.