CBI Arrests 2 EPFO Officials in Rs 10 Lakh Bribery Case

New Delhi, Nov 27 (PTI) The CBI has arrested two EPFO officers in Himachal Pradesh's Solan for allegedly taking a Rs 10 lakh bribe from a businessman to favourably settle a provident fund demand matter, officials said on Wednesday.

Regional Provident Fund Commissioner Ravi Anand and Enforcement Officer Madan Lal Bhatti of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) were arrested after a consultant and middleman -- Sanjay Kumar Yadav -- was arrested while taking Rs 5 lakh in cash and a self-cheque for Rs 5 lakh on their behalf during a trap operation, the officials said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had received a complaint from a businessman that Bhatti had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 10 lakh through Yadav for himself and other senior EPFO officers to favourably settle the matter of provident fund demand of the complainant's firm that was pending with the EPFO office at Baddi in Solan, an agency spokesperson said.

"It was further alleged that if the said demand was not met, the recovery would be Rs 45-50 lakh," the official said in a statement.

The CBI raided the premises where the alleged bribe exchange was taking place and Yadav was arrested while receiving the bribe amount. Later, both officers were taken into custody, the agency said.

"The CBI conducted searches at the residential and official premises of the accused at seven locations at Baddi in Solan, Shimla and Chandigarh. Cash of Rs 23.5 lakh (approx) and incriminating documents were recovered from the premises of the regional provident fund commissioner in Chandigarh," an statement said.