NEW DELHI: CBI has recovered Rs 19 lakh in cash and other valuables from the residence of an officer of GAIL (India) Limited, posted at Noida, who was arrested yesterday under bribery charges.
CBI sources said Ashok Kumar Lal, an SDM-ranked UP government official who was on deputation at the PSU, was arrested for allegedly demanding Rs five lakh from a person whose compensation for Rs 44 lakh was to be cleared by him.
"Searches were conducted at the residential and office premises of the accused. The search of the residential premises yielded a recovery of Rs 19.20 lakh in cash besides other documents pertaining to investment in properties and bank accounts," CBI spokesperson said here today.
She said a case was registered yesterday against him on a complaint alleging that the officer was demanding a bribe of Rs five Lakhs from the complainant to solve the issues of compensation arising out of land acquisition by GAIL at village Nirpura, district Baghpat(UP).
The spokesperson said CBI laid a trap and the accused was apprehended at his residence in Noida while demanding and accepting the bribe from the complainant.
"The bribe amount consisted of government currency notes totalling Rs one Lakh and the rest dummy currency, projecting the total amount to Rs 5 Lakhs," she said adding the officer has been given three days of CBI custody.