CBI arrests seven in Rs 19.96L bribery case for school tender in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The CBI on Sunday said they have arrested seven individuals, including the proprietor of a private company, private persons, and the executive secretary to the CMD of Bridge & Roof Company (India) Ltd in an alleged bribery case involving Rs 19.96 lakh for securing an undue favour in obtaining the tender for Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) in Odisha.

A senior CBI official stated that a case was registered against Hetal Kumar Pravinchandra Rajyaguru, the proprietor of a Gujarat-based firm as well as Shashank Kumar Jain, a resident of Kolkata; Somesh Chandra from Noida; Veer Thakkar from Mumbai; Rajiv Ranjan, Tarang Agarwal, and Ashish Razdan, the executive secretary to the CMD of Bridge & Roof Company (India) Ltd, along with unknown public servants from Bridge & Roof Company (India) Ltd and other private individuals.

The allegations suggested a conspiracy among these accused to secure the EMRS tender for the private company in exchange for illegal gratification to unknown public servants at Bridge & Roof Company (India) Ltd in Kolkata.

The CBI investigation revealed that Shashank Kumar Jain, a resident of Kolkata, was demanding a bribe on behalf of unknown officers at Bridge & Roof Company (India) Ltd. He was seeking a bribe from Hetal Kumar Pravinchandra Rajyaguru and another private individual in exchange for favouring their company in the tender process.

Rajyaguru had assured to send Rs 20 lakh to Jain for the public servant at Bridge & Roof Company (India) Ltd.

“A trap was set, and after the delivery of the bribe amount to the said private person in Kolkata through an alleged Hawala channel, both the private individuals were apprehended. An alleged bribe amount of Rs 19.96 lakh was recovered from their possession,” the official stated.

Further investigation revealed that this bribe was allegedly intended for the executive secretary to the CMD of Bridge and Roof Company (India) Ltd (a public servant). The said executive secretary and other private individuals were also arrested.

Searches were conducted at various locations, including Kolkata, Delhi, Noida, Mumbai, Nagpur, and Rajkot, at the premises of the accused, leading to the recovery of several incriminating documents, digital evidence, and cash amounting to Rs 26.60 lakh.

“Hetal Kumar Pravinchandra Rajyaguru was presented before a special CBI court in Ahmedabad and has been remanded to CBI’s custody until September 21. The remaining arrested accused will be produced before the Competent Court,” the official added.