CBI arrests horticulture officer in bribery case

Earlier, the state vigilance bureau reported that 14 government officials and eight private individuals were caught red-handed accepting bribes last July.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a senior officer at the National Horticulture Board for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹5 lakh in Haryana, the agency said.

For representational purposes only. (AFP File Photo)

According to the CBI, the accused officer, identified as Sunil Kumar Rewar, demanded the bribe from a complainant who approached him to help get the subsidy amount released by the department. The investigation agency caught the officer red-handed. Documents related to the accused, including property, bank details, investment details, were recovered following his arrest, even as the agency conducted search operations across three different locations in Gurugram and Jhunjhunu.

“Acceptance of bribes is not a mandatory requirement to prosecute a public servant. If it can be proved in the court by way of collection of evidence that the public servant had demanded bribes for an official act, the public servant can be convicted as per section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988,” the CBI said.

Officers from Haryana have been under CBI’s radar for bribery related cases. Earlier, the state vigilance bureau reported that 14 government officials and eight private individuals were caught red-handed accepting bribes last July.