HP Industry Dept Top Official Caught Taking Rs 5 Lakh Bribe

TR Sharma(L) Ad Ashok Rana  

Chandigarh: The CBI has arrested the Joint Director, Industries, Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, and another person for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 5 lakh. The accused have been identified as Tilak Raj Sharma, Joint Director, and Ashok Rana.

CBI sleuths said the complainant, Chander Shekhar, was a chartered accountant and consultant with a pharmaceutical company in Baddi.

CBI officials said the complainant had submitted a file of the pharmaceutical company in the office of the Joint Director for claiming 15 per cent capital investment subsidy on the purchase of new machinery installed in the factory under a policy of the Centre.

In the complaint filed with the CBI, it was alleged that the Joint Director and his associate were demanding a bribe of Rs 10 lakh for passing the company's claim of Rs 50 lakh.

On a request of the complainant, the accused had agreed to accept Rs 5 lakh as the first instalment.

Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap in Chandigarh and caught the accused while allegedly taking the bribe.

A case has been registered against the accused under Section 120-B of the IPC and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Both accused were produced in the court and sent to two-day remand.

Accused’s house in Sector 19 searched

CBI sleuths conducted a search at the residence of the Joint Director in Sector 19-C, Chandigarh, which led to the recovery of Rs 39,000, US dollars and euros, 170 gm of gold, 350 gm of silver, papers pertaining to LIC policies and bank locker keys. Another search was also carried on the office premises of the accused in Baddi today.