20 Flats, crores in cash: CBI's stunning discovery in Guwahati bribery case

Guwahati (The Uttam Hindu): In a major action, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested the Executive Director of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) posted in Guwahati red-handed while accepting a bribe. The CBI informed on Wednesday that the officer was caught accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from a person.

The CBI had received a complaint against the NHIDCL executive director and two individuals working for a private company. Based on this complaint, the CBI recently filed a case and subsequently laid a trap to arrest the accused on Tuesday.

The official reportedly demanded a bribe of ₹10 lakh from an individual in exchange for issuing the company a favorable Extension of Time (EOT) and Completion Certificate for the contract for the four-laning of the Demo to Moran bypass on National Highway 37 in Assam, as well as other contracts.

The CBI team subsequently raided seven locations across the country. During the searches, ₹2.62 crore in cash was recovered from the accused officer's premises. Furthermore, the investigation revealed the purchase of nine properties and 20 flats across the country in the name of the accused and his family.

In addition, documents related to the purchase of expensive vehicles in the officer's name have also been recovered. The CBI is now investigating the accused's movable and immovable assets.

In a press release, the investigating agency said that the accused officer will be produced before the special CBI court in Guwahati.