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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested a postal department assistant engineer in Odisha's Sambalpur for allegedly taking bribe of Rs 1.22 lakh for releasing a balance fund to a contractor.
According to CBI, the arrested person Suvashish Pal is posted as Assistant Engineer (Civil), Postal Civil Sub Division, Sambalpur. The bribe was allegedly demanded for releasing the balance payment of Rs 3.77 lakh towards the annual maintenance contract (AMC) given to the complainant. Another contractor Debendra Kumar Puhan was also arrested, who received a bribe amount of Rs 18,500 from said Assistant Engineer on behalf of the Executive Engineer, Postal Division, Bhubaneswar. CBI registered a case against the accused on the allegations that the complainant was issued the work order in December 2021 for the work of repair and maintenance of Postal Staff Quarters at New P & T Colony, Rourkela and in pursuance of which, he has completed the works amounting to Rs 19.47 lakh. It was further alleged that against the said contract, Rs 1.77 lakh was withheld for the delay in execution and Rs 2 lakh was withheld for test check. For releasing the withheld amount of Rs 3.77 lakh, "the Assistant Engineer allegedly demanded bribe of Rs 1.5 Lakh for himself and another Rs 18,500 for Executive Engineer from Complainant," said the CBI statement. It was also alleged that upon negotiation, Pal agreed to receive the bribe of Rs 1.22 lakh for himself and Rs 18,500 for Executive Engineer, the agency said. CBI laid a trap and caught the accused for demanding and accepting the said bribe. Searches were conducted at the premises of the accused, including at Bhubnaswer, Sambalpur, Patna, etc, which led to the recovery of certain incriminating documents. The arrested accused will be produced before the Competent Court at Bhubaneswar. (ANI)
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