Team Herald
VASCO: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested a junior engineer (JE) attached to Garrison Engineer (naval works) under Military Engineer Services (MES) for demanding a bribe of Rs 92,000 to settle a maintenance contract bill and to not blacklist them on false grounds. He was arrested after the CBI laid a trap based on a complaint by Deepak Palyekar, who is a long-serving motor-maintenance contractor for Garrison Engineer (GE).
A CBI official said the investigation, prima facie, revealed that the JE had been pressuring the contractor for a bribe to settle the latter’s final bill. The JE had earlier taken over Rs 1.85 lakh by cheque from other contractors to settle their bills. He would also threaten and hold back the files of those who protested against the bribe.
On Thursday, a team of CBI officials raided the office and residence of defence personnel Subedar Major Maruti Naik, who was posted as a JE at Shantinagar, Vasco. The raiding team nabbed him red-handed at his office with Rs 20,000 cash and two cheques drawn for Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000.
The raiding team informed that Naik had been demanding money from contractors and threatening them with consequences (blacklisting). He also harassed Deepak by blocking his bills for the last few months. Thus, Deepak contacted the CBI, who then laid a trap and arrested him.
