The CBI has arrested a CPWD executive engineer, his relative and three others in a ₹50 lakh bribery case in Mumbai.
What was the alleged bribe demand?
The case was registered against CPWD Executive Engineer Vikrant Verma, his relative Saurav Gupta and three officials linked to a Mumbai-based real estate group. The other accused include Vice President Arvind Semwal, manager Chetan Mahajan and Anil Deshmukh, a partner in Renaissance, described as a partnership firm under the Baya Group.
According to the CBI, Verma allegedly demanded an undue advantage of ₹1 crore for issuing a no-objection certificate stating that CPWD had no claim over a parcel of land at Wadala, Mumbai. The amount was later allegedly negotiated to ₹70 lakh through his relative.
The company involved in constructing private apartments had sought a CPWD NOC concerning land at Antop Hill in Sion, Mumbai. The certificate was allegedly intended to establish that the land was not CPWD property, allowing the proposed construction project to proceed.
How was the ₹50 lakh payment arranged?
The CBI alleged that Verma, a 2014-batch CES officer posted in Mumbai since April 2023, issued the NOC letter without a dispatch number. Investigators said this could subsequently have been used to pressure the company into paying the remaining amount.
According to the agency, ₹50 lakh was paid against the letter, while another ₹20 lakh was to be paid after a week.
How were the five accused arrested?
The CBI laid a trap on October 1 and caught Gupta while he was allegedly carrying ₹50 lakh that he had accepted from the real estate group’s vice president on behalf of the executive engineer.
Verma was apprehended at Vashi in Navi Mumbai, where investigators said he was waiting to receive the money. A manager of the real estate group and a partner of the firm seeking the NOC, who were present during the transaction, were also arrested. All five accused were taken into custody.
What did the searches recover?
The CBI subsequently conducted searches at premises linked to the accused and their associates in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune.
Investigators recovered approximately ₹53.87 lakh in cash during the searches, in addition to the alleged ₹50 lakh bribe amount. Documents concerning immovable properties and other records were also recovered.
The case centres on allegations that a public official sought payment in connection with an official clearance required for a proposed private construction project. The investigation has also extended to the roles of the executive engineer’s relative and officials associated with the real estate group.
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