Govt servant, 2 others remanded to CBI custody in graft case

A special court has remanded three persons, including a superintendent engineer of Central Public Works Department (CPWD) arrested for allegedly taking bribe from a private firm official, to CBI custody for five days.
Special CBI Judge S C Rajan sent accused Vinod Kumar Asol, who was posted at CPWD Imphal, private firm official N Krishna Rao and Bahadur Singh Bisht to CBI remand till October 7 after the agency said their custodial interrogation was required to unearth the truth and recover incriminating documents.
"Keeping in view the facts and circumstances, I therefore, allow the application of CBI for police custody remand and all the three accused are remanded to police custody for five days and accused persons be produced before this court on October 7," the judge said.

According to CBI, the three accused were allegedly caught red-handed here on October 2 when they were making transaction of the illegal gratification of Rs 33 lakh.
It said that FIR in the case was registered on source information that Asol was allegedly indulging in corrupt activities with Rao, a senior official of private firm M/s Vijay Nirman Company Ltd.
It alleged that Asol had demanded bribe of Rs 50 lakh from Rao for clearing bills, releasing mobilisation advance and payment for construction of a multi-purpose building worth Rs 210 crores in the National Institute of Technology at Imphal.

It alleged that Asol was assigned the duties of project manager and Rao, who was in regular contact with him, had delivered Rs 17.5 lakh in cash to him here on May 29 as part payment of the bribe money.

CBI alleged that Asol had informed Rao on October 1 that he had reached Delhi and would be available at CPWD Guest House here till October 4, after which Rao had told him that delivery of remaining part of the bribe of Rs 33 lakh will be handed over to him on October 2.
The agency said they had laid a trap and the three accused were arrested on October 2.
Opposing the CBI's plea seeking police remand, lawyers appearing for the accused said the agency has already seized the documents and the accused have cooperated with them in the probe.

The FIR in the case was lodged for the alleged offences under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC read with provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.