Corruption in government circles took a dramatic hit as CBI agents swooped down on a CPWD official, nabbing him with Rs 3.7 crore in bribe money. The high-stakes operation unfolded in Delhi, exposing deep-rooted malpractices in one of India’s premier public works agencies.
The engineer, holding a pivotal position in project approvals, was allegedly shaking down contractors for kickbacks. Posing as a desperate businessman, the CBI’s undercover team approached him with a Rs 50 lakh bribe offer for expediting work orders worth crores. The moment he pocketed the cash, the trap sprung.
Searches at his residence and office yielded bundles of currency notes totaling over Rs 3.7 crore, meticulously counted and seized on the spot. Digital trails and documents recovered point to a web of favors traded for illicit gains, involving inflated tenders and substandard constructions.
Experts view this as a textbook case of how unchecked power leads to plunder of public resources. CPWD projects, ranging from ministries to highways, have long been fertile ground for such scandals. The arrestee is now in custody, facing charges under anti-corruption laws, with CBI vowing to dismantle the entire syndicate.
This bust highlights the effectiveness of CBI’s zero-tolerance strategy. As public outrage grows over misused taxpayer money, authorities are urged to implement tech-driven transparency measures like e-tendering and AI monitoring. The coming weeks will reveal if this is the tip of a much larger iceberg.
