financial loss due to obstruction in construction work
Dehradun. Central Public Works Department (CPWD) Assistant Engineer (AE) Sandeep Kumar, posted in Dehradun, who was taking a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from the contractor in exchange for not raising objection in the construction work, was arrested red-handed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Accused Sandeep Kumar was harassing the contractor by repeatedly raising objections in the construction work of the residential colony being done by CPWD at ITBP at Seemadoor, Doon. In return for not raising objection, the accused had demanded a bribe of Rs 5.5 lakh from the contractor, advance of which was being given on Tuesday evening.
CBI caught the accused from his residence in Vikasnagar, Dehradun. During the search of the house, CBI also found Rs 20.49 lakh in cash. Contractor Deepak Kumar Sharma, resident of Dharampur, Dehradun, had given a complaint in this regard to the CBI Superintendent of Police on April 15.
Deepak Kumar told that he has a firm by the name of M/s Anil Dutt Sharma and his firm is registered in Class-I in CPWD. His son Varun Vats, nephew Rahul Vats and elder brother Anil Dutt Sharma are also partners in the firm. At present, the construction work of a residential colony for ITBP is going on at Seemadwar on behalf of his firm, the contract for which has been awarded to CPWD. CPWD Assistant Engineer Sandeep Kumar is monitoring the construction work.
The complaint alleged that Sandeep Kumar was deliberately repeatedly raising objections to the construction work, due to which he was suffering financial loss. When Sandeep Kumar was talked to in this regard, he asked for a bribe of Rs 5.5 lakh. The accused demanded bribe over the phone call, which was recorded by the complainant.
On the complaint, CBI, after preliminary investigation, arrested the accused red-handed while taking bribe of Rs 1 lakh in advance on Tuesday evening. CBI has registered a case against the assistant engineer under the section of Prevention of Corruption Act, he will be presented in the court on Wednesday. Engineer Sandeep Kumar had called contractor Deepak Kumar to his residence on Tuesday evening with Rs 1 lakh. In such a situation, two CBI teams had already camped near his residence. When CBI searched the house of the accused after his red-handed arrest, Rs 20.49 lakh was found in cash. Apart from this, documents related to lands worth crores have also been found. CBI is also investigating the bank accounts and lockers of the accused.
