The accused were caught red-handed by the CBI while accepting ₹2 lakhs as part-payment of the bribe.
CBI nabs three Puducherry PWD engineers in bribery case; Rs 73 lakhs seized
The bribery scandal sparks Assembly walkout as CBI arrests top engineers and contractor
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested three individuals in Puducherry, including the Chief Engineer and Executive Engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD), for allegedly accepting a ₹2 lakh bribe. A private contractor was also taken into custody in connection with the case. The agency recovered a total of ₹73 lakhs in cash during follow-up searches.
Bribe linked to road tender
CBI investigations revealed that Executive Engineer R Chidambaranathan had allegedly demanded ₹6 lakhs as a commission from contractor N Elamurugan. This was almost 1 per cent of a ₹7.44 crore road project tender in Karaikal. The bribe was reportedly meant for Chief Engineer M Dhinadhayalan to ensure smooth clearances for future projects.
The accused were caught red-handed by CBI while accepting ₹2 lakhs as part-payment of the bribe. Following their arrest, searches were conducted at their homes and offices resulting in the recovery of ₹65 lakhs from Dhinadhayalan’s residence and ₹8 lakhs from Chidambaranathan’s home.
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“In total, ₹2 lakhs was recovered from the Executive Engineer’s possession, and ₹50,000 was found in the contractor’s vehicle,” a CBI spokesperson said. “All three accused have been arrested.”
The incident highlights the entrenched corruption in public works contracts and showcases the effectiveness of CBI’s swift action in curbing such practices.
Nationwide crackdown
This arrest is part of a broader anti-corruption operation being carried out by the CBI across India. Over the past few days, several officials from various government departments have been arrested on bribery charges.
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On March 22, forest guard Vipin Pathania was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua for demanding ₹35,000 in bribes related to road construction work. Just two days earlier, Uday Kumar, Senior GM of Power Grid Corporation, was caught accepting ₹2.5 lakhs in Rajasthan’s Ajmer from a private company executive.
More arrests across India
Earlier in March, CBI arrested two Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials - Deepak Chaudhari and Prakash Kaklij - in Nashik in a similar bribery case. Additionally, five Indian Railways officers were held in Vadodara for accepting bribes to favour candidates in departmental exams. Searches in that case led to the seizure of ₹5 lakhs and 650 grams of gold.
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