CBI arrests businessman Rohit Reddy in bribery case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday arrested the Director of BGR Mining and Infra Private Limited, Rohit Reddy Bathina, in connection with a bribery case allegedly involving National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) Director Finance Kulamani Biswal.

Biswal was booked earlier in the week under section of 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 11 and 12 of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.

Besides Biswal, the agency had also booked few other people, including Bathina and Prabhat Kumar.

Biswal, who is on the Board of Directors of the NTPC Limited, had asked Bathina to arrange U.S. dollars equivalent to Rs. 5 lakh for him for a U.S. trip.

As per a CBI source, Bathina had arranged the cash through Hawala channels and had asked Kumar to deliver the amount to Biswal, who, along with the family, was scheduled to leave for the U.S. on Friday.

According to the FIR, Biswal, who has been dealing with Bathina's firm due to the business transacted between the NTPC Limited and BGR Mining and Infra Private Limited, being a public servant, attempted to obtain for himself valuable things without any consideration from the firm.

Reportedly, Kumar has been arrested and taken to court, which has remanded him to judicial custody till the next hearing.