Bhubaneswar: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested four persons, including two senior officials of the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Odisha Region, in connection with a bribery case.
The four arrested persons including FCI’s Odisha Region General Manager Prem Singh Bhanot and Manager (Accounts) Sanjoy Dey.
According to a release from the CBI, the two other arrested persons were identified as Malina Dey alias Soumi Bhattacharya, Proprietor of SP Traders and Suppliers Pvt Ltd and Syed Hasnain Ahmed of Kolkata, a middleman.
The arrest was made on the allegation of demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 1 lakh for extending favour to the firm of the proprietor in securing a tender relating to transportation of rice grain.
CBI registered a case on June 28, 2024 against five accused including the two FCI officials; two middlemen; Kolkata-based Proprietor of the private company and unknown others.
It was alleged that accused FCI General Manager, in connivance with middlemen, said Manager (Accounts) and proprietor of private firm were indulging in corrupt activities causing wrongful gain to themselves and loss to the government exchequer, in the matters related to processing the tender pertaining to transportation of rice grain, the investigating agency said.
It was also alleged that in connection with the tender pertaining to ‘Transportation of Rice Grain’, said GM had aided and favoured accused proprietor of the firm who had participated in the tender in the name of a firm.
An accused middleman contacted and informed the GM, FCI that the proprietor would like to offer him a bribe for having facilitated her in the allotment of work order in tender. The GM asked him to inform the proprietor to give Rs 5 lakh as bribe in lieu of this favour rendered to her.
CBI laid a trap and the GM, FCI; said Proprietor and other accused middleman, were caught upon delivery of bribe amount of Rs 1 lakh. All the three accused caught during trap proceeding and Manager (Accounts) of FCI were arrested.
All the arrested accused persons were produced before the Competent Court at Bhubaneswar and have been remanded to police custody till July 6.
CBI also conducted searches at Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar which led to recovery of around Rs 5 lakh cash, locker keys, mobiles, laptops and incriminating documents. Investigation is in progress.