CBI arrests NHPC official, 2 others in Rs 5 lakh bribery case

New Delhi, July 14 The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday said that it has arrested the Chief General Manager of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and two others in a graft case.

A CBI spokesperson said that the agency team arrested NPHC's Chief General Manager, Finance, Harjeet Singh Puri, posted in Haryana's Faridabad and two private persons identified as Sunil Mendiratta, a Senior General Manager (Project) of Gammon CMC Joint Venture and Sanchit Saini in alleged Rs 5 lakh bribery case.

The official said that the agency registered a case against Puri, Mendiratta, Gammon CMC Joint Venture, Sunil Saini, a private person based at Mumbai, and unknown others.

He said that the Gammon CMC Joint Venture was working in Parbati Hydroelectric Project Stage-II of NHPC located near Kullu in Himachal Pradesh, and had two claims of Rs 1.36 crore and Rs 1.9 crore, and some additional bills of Rs 2 crore pending.

Mendiratta requested Puri to expedite the process of payments, for which he allegedly demanded the bribe.

"CBI laid a trap and Puri was caught while accepting bribe of Rs 5 lakh. Mendiratta and Saini were also caught," the official said.

He said that the agency conducted searches at Faridabad, Kullu, and Delhi which led to recovery of incriminating documents including of property and financial dealings. The CBI also recovered Rs 25 lakh cash and 1 kg gold from Puri's possession.