New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a senior official of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and three others in connection with an alleged bribery case involving Rs 15 lakh, officials confirmed on Monday.
The arrested NHAI official, identified as General Manager Ram Prit Paswan, is accused of demanding a bribe in return for approving and processing payments related to highway contracts. According to the CBI, Paswan was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting the illicit payment.
Suresh Mahapatra, a senior executive at Ram Kripal Singh Construction Pvt Ltd, was also taken into custody for allegedly offering the bribe. Two employees of the same company, Barun Kumar and Chetan Kumar, were apprehended as well.
The investigation has also named additional individuals linked to the case, including YB Singh, Chief General Manager and Regional Officer of the NHAI in Patna, Deputy General Manager Kumar Saurabh, Project Director Lalit Kumar, Site Engineer Anshul Thakur, and AGM Accounts Hemen Medhi. The private firm Ram Kripal Singh Construction Pvt. Ltd. and its General Manager Amar Nath Jha have also been listed as accused. “Investigations suggest that officials within NHAI, in collaboration with representatives of the private company, manipulated the bill clearance process in exchange for unlawful financial gains,” the CBI said in a statement.
Authorities conducted an operation at the alleged meeting point where the bribe was being exchanged, leading to immediate arrests. Subsequent searches at locations including Patna, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai, Purnia, Ranchi, and Varanasi resulted in the seizure of approximately Rs 1.18 crore in cash, along with crucial documents and digital records.
“During the searches, a total of Rs 1,18,85,000 in cash was recovered along with documents and electronic evidence relevant to the case,” the agency stated.
The arrested individuals have been presented before the court, and further inquiries are underway as the investigation progresses.