PANJIM, JUNE 1
In a swift operation, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) laid a trap and caught red-handed Superintendent of Central Excise of Bicholim A S Patil accepting a bribe of Rs 18,000 cash in his office from an iron scrap dealer on Monday.
Patil was arrested and slapped with Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for which the maximum imprisonment runs into five years. He was produced in a Panjim court on Tuesday that remanded him to two days custody for further investigation.
Addressing a press conference today, CBI SP S S Gavali said Patil had demanded a bribe for a truck load of scrap from the Honda-based dealer. “Earlier, too, the Central Excise officer had demanded money, but the scrap dealer didn’t give in to his demand,” he stated.
Gavali said the scrap dealer filed a complaint yesterday and the CBI had acted the same day to nail the Central Excise officer. “We have recorded the conversation of the officer during the serious economic offence,” he added.
He said CBI sleuths in Mumbai simultaneously carried out search operations at his Mumbai residence as part of the offence and the details were awaited. “It may be possible he was into this bribe-taking business in the past too and we are trying to ascertain the same through the raid at his house in Mumbai,” he mentioned.
Gavali affirmed that the CBI would take serious note of complaints against Central Government employees and those working in public sector undertakings. “I want to pass a message to the public and businessmen in the State they should feel free to approach CBI which promises to keep their identity a top secret,” he said.
He said the operation to nab the officer red-handed was carried out by Inspector R K Rishi and PSI Sunil Nair under his supervision after verifying the complaint from the scrap dealer.
Gavali mentioned the objective of calling the press conference today was to highlight this incident and tell the people that the CBI, based at Bambolim off the National Highway-17, was very much accessible to them on 9423884100 and telefax No 2459974.
