HYDERABAD: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials on Sunday arrested four persons, including National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) general manager and NSS Infrastructure employees, for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 27 lakh for official favours. According to CBI officials, the agency has registered cases under Section 7 and Section 8 of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 and Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC. Gali Sridhar, the general manager of NHAI; Sudhakar Vaduppu and Pawan, who are employees at NSS Infrastructure; and Gali Sridhar’s relative Sai Prasad were booked under these charges.
The cases were registered on the receipt of reliable information regarding the demand and acceptance of illegal gratification amounting to `27 lakh, for clearing the bills of NSS Infrastructure. “Gali Sridhar, General Manager (Technical), National Highways Authority of India Limited (NHAI) demanded the amount of `27 lakh on April 17 at Hyderabad for clearing the bills pertaining to their ongoing work at NH 7 Madurai - Kanyakumari stretch of Tamil Nadu.
On the instructions of Gali Sridhar, Sudhakar agreed to pay the bribe amount of `27 lakh. The money was carried by Pawan, an employee of NSS Constructions from Hyderabad, and delivered to Sai Prasad, a relative of Gali Sridhar, at Kadapa on April 21,” the CBI officials said. The ACB wing of CBI Hyderabad trailed Pawan from Hyderabad till Kadapa, and nabbed both Sai Prasad and Pawan while they were exchanging the bribe amount. All of the four accused persons have been arrested.
After the arrest, the CBI officials conducted searches at six places including the offices and residential premises of the accused at Hyderabad, Kadapa and Madurai. The agency seized some incriminatory documents pertaining to the case during the search.
The agency would produce the accused before the the Special Judge for CBI cases in Hyderabad.