CBI Nabs Top PWD Officials in Puducherry Bribery Scandal

The CBI arrested two senior Public Works Department officials and a contractor in Puducherry following a bribery scandal involving Rs 2 lakh. Searches revealed Rs 73 lakh in cash and incriminating documents. The accused appeared before the Judicial Magistrate and were remanded to custody.

In a significant crackdown, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended three individuals linked to a bribery scandal in Puducherry. Among those arrested are the Chief Engineer and Executive Engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD), as well as a private contractor associated with the department. The arrests came swiftly after the accused exchanged a partial bribe sum of Rs 2 lakh, according to a CBI release issued on Sunday.

The investigation began after allegations surfaced suggesting that the Executive Engineer demanded a bribe of Rs 6 lakh from a contractor involved in road construction projects under the jurisdiction of Karaikal's Public Works Department. The bribe, representing about 1 percent of the total tender amount of Rs 7,44,59,009, was purportedly meant to secure site clearance and approval for payments without unnecessary delays, stated the CBI.

To catch the culprits red-handed, the CBI organized a sting operation, resulting in the arrest of the Executive Engineer as he accepted Rs 2 lakh in the presence of the Chief Engineer. Additional searches of the accused's properties in Puducherry and Karaikal yielded Rs 73 lakh in cash, including Rs 65 lakh from the Chief Engineer's residence and Rs 8 lakh from the Executive Engineer's home, alongside incriminating documents. All three accused have been remanded to judicial custody by Judicial Magistrate I, Karaikal, as the investigation proceeds.

(With inputs from agencies.)