NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Commandant of Border Security Force (BSF) in graft case for possessing unaccounted cash of over Rs 45 lakh allegedly collected from smugglers operating on the Indo-Bangla border.
The accused Jibu D Mathew, Commandant of 83 Battalion of BSF was intercepted at about 5.50 PM Tuesday from Alleppey Railway Station.
“On examining Jibu D Mathew about the source of the said cash, it is revealed that the said cash was obtained by him from the smugglers of India-Bangladesh borders as illegal gratification for the favours he had made to them in the capacity of BSF Commandant, 83 Battalion,” reads the CBI FIR registered at the agency’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) at Cochin on Wednesday.
The CBI swung into action after receiving inputs at 3 PM on Tuesday that Mathew was travelling from Shalimar to Kayamkulum on Shalimar Express No 22642 in Coach A1, Seat No 20 along with the bribe money of about Rs 50 lakh in a blue colour trolley bag. The CBI team boarded the train at Ernakulum at 4.10 PM on Tuesday and kept a surveillance on him before he deboarded the train at about 5.47 PM at Alleppey railway station.
“Upon opening the main pocket of the trolley bag, ....it was found that bundles of currency notes of denominations 2000 & 500 are placed inside the blue trolley. Upon counting the bundles, it was found that, there are 18 bundles of currency notes of denomination “2000” amounting to Rs 34,44,000 and 22 bundles of denomination “500” amounting to Rs 10,86,500 adding to a total of Rs 45,30,500,” added the FIR.
Mathew has been booked under relevant provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.