An anti-corruption bureau (ACB) team from Dhanbad on Thursday arrested two employees of the land conservation department in Giridih for allegedly accepting ₹60,000 in bribe from a contractor at their rented accommodation in Barganda Colony.
The accused were identified as field officer Rakesh Kumar Pascal and accountant Rakesh Kumar. Pascal was arrested earlier too in a bribery case in 2016 when he was posted in Hazaribagh.
The ACB team, led by deputy superintendent of police (DySP) Chandreshwar Prasad and Inspector KN Singh, also recovered ₹8 lakh in ₹2,000 and ₹500 denominations from the accused’s residence. “Paskal and Kumar were living in the same rented house,” said Prasad.
Prasad said Pascal demanded a 19% commission from one Ashok Kumar from Dumri for clearing a bill for construction of pond. The total cost of the project was ₹15.85 lakh.
According to the complainant, the men had earlier cleared part of the project cost. To clear the rest ₹8.80 lakh, they demanded ₹1.67 lakh. Ashok agreed to pay ₹60,000 in the first instalment and the rest after the bill was cleared.
Meanwhile, Ashok filed a complaint with an ACB team, which laid a trap to arrest the duo. On Thursday, ACB nabbed the government employees while they were accepting Rs60,000.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Ashok filed a complaint with an ACB team, which laid a trap to arrest the duo. On Thursday, ACB nabbed the government employees while they were accepting Rs60,000.
{{/usCountry}}After raids at their residence, the ACB team also searched the duo’s office premises in Giridih and seized several documents. It was checking bills approved by them.
A Dhanbad court remanded Kumar and Pascal in judicial custody on Thursday.