New Delhi| The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested three officials of the Customs Department in a corruption case and also recovered cash of Rs 20 lakh during searches. CBI spokesman R.C. Joshi said that the accused arrested in the bribery case of four lakh rupees have been identified as Surendra Singh, Ajit Kumar. Both were employed as Superintendents or Senior Intelligence Officers of Custom (SIIB), ICD (Imports) in Tughlakabad, New Delhi and a third has been identified as Sandeep Rathi, an inspector of the customs department.
Joshi said that the agency has registered a case against all three officers on the basis of the complaint.
He stated that the complainant is the authorized signatory of a private company. He has alleged that the accused had demanded a bribe of Rs 15 lakh for approving the consignment of open sale (TV screens) imported by his company in the last four months and an additional Rs 50,000 per container. A bribe was demanded.
The official said that the accused later agreed to accept Rs 10 lakh in installments and were to be paid the first installment of Rs four lakh.
Joshi said that the CBI laid a trap to apprehend them while taking the first installment payment and during interrogation Kumar and Rathi were also arrested.
He said that the premises of the accused have been searched in Delhi / NCR from where cash and objectionable documents have been recovered.
“During the search, Rs. 11 lakh cash was recovered from Singh’s residence and Rs. 9 lakh from Kumar’s premises,” he said.
