CBI arrests BSNL officer in graft case

New Delhi, July 27 The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday said that it has arrested Subodh Mehra, an Accounts Officer of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in Madhya Pradesh in a graft case.

A CBI official here said that the arrest was made after a case was registered against Mehra, who was posted in Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh on a complaint. The official said that in the complaint it was alleged that Mehra had demanded a bribe of Rs 25,000 from the complainant for processing and forwarding his pending bills of Rs 5.50 lakh for payments in lieu of vehicles provided to the BSNL Office at Itarsi by the complainant.

The official further said that it was alleged that after negotiation, the accused settled for the bribe of Rs 20,000 and instructed the complainant to transfer the same in the bank account of a private person, who was earlier working as casual labour in BSNL Office with Canara Bank, Itarsi.

He said, the amount of Rs 20,000 was allegedly transferred to the said bank account on Tuesday by the complainant and the same was intimated to the accused.

"During the trap proceedings and further investigation, Mehra was arrested," he added.

Following his arrest, the CBI carried out searches at the premises of Mehra in Itarsi and Sironj in Vidisha district of MP.