CBI arrests BCCL official for taking bribe to allow employee to rejoin duty after lockdown

The CBI on Tuesday arrested a Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) official for allegedly taking bribe from an employee for allowing him to rejoin duty after the lockdown announced by the Centre to contain COVID-19 spread in the country, officials said Tuesday.

In the first trap case of the agency after countrywide lockdown was announced on March 24, Kishori Prasad Rout, an official of BCCL who dealt with attendance of workers, was taken into custody by a CBI team for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 3,000 from an employee for letting him join duty post-lockdown.

The CBI undertook exhaustive precautions, including wearing protective gear, and followed all protocols announced by Home Ministry to protect the complainant and its officials while carrying out the operation to nab the accused whose safety was also ensured, they said.

The CBI action came after registering an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Rout posted at Sendra Bansjora Colliery, Sijua Area, BCCL, Dhanbad on a complaint by the employee.

"The CBI laid a trap and caught the accused red handed on May 05 while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 3,000 from the complainant. Incriminating documents pertaining to motive of bribe have been recovered during searches at the premises of accused," agency spokesperson RK Gaur said.

He said all due care and precautions arising out of COVID19situation were taken by the agency.