CBI arrests two senior CPWD engineers for taking bribe

The CBI identified the arrested persons as Jai Prakash, executive engineer (Civil); Prabhat Chaurasiya, assistant engineer (Civil); as well as Shubham Goel, and his father Rajesh Goel, the owner of Shubham Electricals.

“The CBI registered a case on August 11 against 12 persons, including the four arrested accused. The agency had received information that Shubham would be paying a bribe of Rs 6 lakh to Jai Prakash on August 11. Accordingly, a trap was laid and both were caught along with money,” a CBI spokesperson said, adding that CPWD has awarded multiple contracts to Shubham Electricals.

The agency said that searches were conducted at 10 places during which Rs 55 lakh in cash was recovered.

The CBI alleged in the FIR that on August 1, it received a tip-off stating that Shubham has informed his father that CPWD has sought a payment of Rs 1.52 crore against some of the company’s pending bills. He also allegedly asked Rajesh on how much bribe money is to be given to various CPWD officers.

“His father directed that 3% of total bill is to be given to the executive engineer, 2% to the assistant engineer and the junior engineer, 1% to the CPWD accounts section, 1% to computer operators and clerks, and rest 1-2% to the superintending engineer for the award of the tender,” the FIR stated.

It accused CPWD engineers of taking bribes from private contractors engaged in executing works in Chanakyapuri in lieu of extending undue favours in awarding contracts, allowing poor quality construction materials and clearing inflated bills, as well as causing wrongful loss to government exchequer.