₹2.6 crore cash, luxury cars, watches recovered from NHIDCL official in Guwahati

During the search of Singh’s premises, the CBI seized ₹2.62 crore in cash and documents related to nine properties and 20 apartments

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Maisnam Riten Kumar Singh, Executive Director and Regional Officer of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) in Guwahati, in connection with an alleged ₹10 lakh bribery case, officials said on Wednesday.

Cash seized

This cash and document seizures comes after CBI arrested Ropar DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar for demanding a bribe of ₹8 lakh from a scrap dealer through a private middleman.

"CBI conducted searches at the office and residential premises of Maisnam Riten Kumar Singh, Executive Director and Regional Officer, National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), Regional Office, Guwahati, who was arrested by the CBI on 14 October while accepting a bribe of ₹10 Lakh from a private person," the Delhi Police told ANI.

The probe unraveled huge cache of money, luxury cars, gold, imported liquor among other things.

CBI seized cash and documents of 9 properties, 20 apartments

During the search of Singh’s premises, the CBI seized ₹2.62 crore in cash and documents related to nine properties and 20 apartments owned by him and his family members across India. The documents also included high-end vehicles, which have been seized.

"Subsequent to searches at Guwahati, Ghaziabad and Imphal, CBI recovered ₹2.62 Crores, documents pertaining to investment in immovable assets in Delhi NCR, Bangalore, and Guwahati, documents relating to acquisition of 2 homestead plots and 1 agriculture land in Imphal West, documents pertaining to possession/investment in 6 high-end luxury vehicles, 2 luxury watches worth Lakhs, and a 100 Gm Silver Bar," the statement added.

Singh had allegedly demanded the bribe from a private company in exchange for granting a favourable extension of time (EOT) and completion certificate for its work on the four-laning of National Highway-37 between Demow to End of Moran Bypass in Assam, besides other contracts.

Another arrest and search conducted

The CBI has also arrested Binod Kumar Jain, a representative of the Kolkata-based company Mohan Lal Jain, in connection with the case.

"Searches were conducted at seven office and residential premises of the accused persons at different locations all over India," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement. She added that verification of the immovable and movable properties of the accused public servant is in progress.

"Both the arrested accused persons will be produced in the court of the special judge, CBI cases in Guwahati, today," she said.