MUMBAI: The CBI has arrested two Military Engineering Services (MES) officers in Pune in an alleged ₹2 lakh bribery case, involving the demand of bribe for clearing payments due to a private contractor firm executing MES contracts.
Searches conducted at the residential and office premises of the accused persons by the CBI led to the recovery of documents and unexplained cash of ₹1, 88,500, subsequently. The CBI arrested the two accused officers —Sunil Nikam, assistant garrison engineer, MES, Khadki, Pune and Suresh Mhaske, junior engineer, MES, Khadki, Pune — on Thursday.
In a trap proceeding, the CBI first caught the accused junior engineer while allegedly accepting the bribe of ₹2 lakh from the complainant, who holds the firm’s power of attorney. The bribe amount was recovered from the accused’s office. Subsequently, the CBI also arrested the accused assistant garrison engineer for his role in the conspiracy, officials said on Friday.
The CBI registered its case on Tuesday against the accused persons after the complainant approached the agency, alleging demand of undue advantage of ₹6 lakh by the two accused officials. Despite completion of works and submission of completion certificates, payments however were allegedly withheld to coerce payment of the bribe from the complainant as per the complaint, the officials said.
After negotiation, the accused officials had allegedly agreed to accept a bribe of ₹2 lakh as the first instalment on Thursday.
