Raipur: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a senior South East Central Railway officer and his alleged associate in connection with a bribery case in Chhattisgarh’s Durg district. The officer, identified as Anmol Uke, is accused of demanding a bribe from a complainant in exchange for approving the payment of pending railway bills. The agency also conducted searches at residential and office premises linked to the officer in Raipur and Bhilai, during which it claimed to have recovered around ₹77 lakh in cash and jewellery valued at approximately ₹14 lakh.
According to the CBI, the case originated from a complaint alleging that the railway officer had demanded ₹2 lakh to facilitate the approval and payment of pending bills. Following negotiations, the alleged bribe amount was reduced to ₹1 lakh. After receiving the complaint, the agency began verifying the allegations and monitored the suspected transaction.
Bribe Allegedly Accepted Through Intermediary
Investigators said the alleged bribe was arranged to be delivered to the officer through an intermediary rather than directly. On August 13, the CBI carried out an operation during which the officer was allegedly caught accepting the first instalment of ₹50,000.
Following the operation, the agency expanded its investigation to determine the role of other individuals allegedly connected with the transaction. Investigators are examining whether the intermediary had previously facilitated similar payments and whether the officer had allegedly demanded money from other people in connection with official work.
Officer and Associate Arrested on August 14
According to the CBI, Anmol Uke, an officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers posted as Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer at Bhilai under South East Central Railway, was arrested on August 14. His alleged intermediary was also arrested.
The two accused were subsequently taken through the legal process. Investigators are now examining the alleged bribery arrangement and the relationship between the railway officer and the intermediary. The agency is also determining whether the alleged demand was linked to a specific pending bill or whether similar financial transactions may have taken place in other cases.
₹77 Lakh Cash Recovered During Searches
Following the arrests, the CBI searched residential and office premises associated with the officer in Raipur and Bhilai. The agency said the searches resulted in the recovery of approximately ₹77 lakh in cash. Jewellery valued at around ₹14 lakh was also reportedly recovered.
Investigators are now examining the source of the recovered cash and jewellery. The agency is expected to determine whether the seized assets have any direct connection with the alleged bribery transaction. Bank accounts, financial records, property documents and other relevant material may also be examined as part of the investigation.
Investigation Focuses on Pending Railway Bills
The allegations centre on claims that the complainant was asked to pay a bribe to facilitate the processing and approval of pending bills. Investigators are examining the relevant bills, files and departmental records to establish the nature of the payments and determine the official role of the accused officer in the process.
The CBI is also examining whether the alleged demand was made directly by the officer or whether another person played a role in arranging the payment. Investigators may analyse the intermediary’s mobile phone records, bank accounts and other financial transactions to establish the movement of the alleged bribe money.
The investigation remains underway. The CBI is also examining the financial trail connected with the cash and jewellery recovered during the searches. The allegations will ultimately be established on the basis of evidence collected during the investigation and proceedings before the court. For now, the railway officer and his alleged associate remain under investigation in connection with the bribery allegations and related financial transactions.
