CBI Disrupts Bribery Scheme: South Eastern Railway Officer Taken into Custody
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Ranchi, March 25 (NationPress) On Wednesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) apprehended the Chief Commercial Inspector (CCI) of the South Eastern Railway in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, in an ongoing bribery case.
The individual, named Himanshu Shekhar, is accused of soliciting and accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 from a complainant.
The CBI registered the case on March 25, based on claims that the CCI demanded 10 percent of the complainant’s outstanding bills, which totalled approximately Rs 8.7 lakh, in return for their clearance.
In response to the complaint, the agency set up a trap and caught Shekhar in the act of receiving the agreed bribe of Rs 50,000 as the initial payment.
Currently, searches are being conducted at both the office and home of the accused.
The investigation is ongoing, and more details are expected soon.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of bribery cases emerging from Jharkhand.
Just two days prior, on March 23, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Pritam Acharya, an employee at the Deputy Commissioner of Land Reforms office in Saraikela, along with a middleman, for reportedly accepting Rs 5 lakh as part of a Rs 40 lakh bribe involving a land compensation case.
This pair was apprehended while the complainant delivered the first installment.
Earlier in March, Jharkhand experienced several such arrests: Niranjan Kumar, a Block Supply Officer in Barharwa (Sahibganj district), was caught on March 19, accepting Rs 50,000 from a Public Distribution System dealer.
On March 17, a Junior Engineer from South Eastern Railway in Bhojudih (Bokaro) was arrested for allegedly receiving Rs 15,000.
On March 13, two officials from the District Land Acquisition Office in Deoghar were arrested for demanding commissions on compensation related to a Ring Road project.
Additionally, on March 12, a Sub-Inspector in Koderma and a Panchayat Secretary in Gumla were also detained for bribery.
Collectively, Jharkhand has seen at least eight arrests linked to bribery this month, underscoring heightened efforts to combat corruption within governmental operations.