Srinagar, Dec 4: Government on Saturday placed under suspension three engineers of Public Works (R&B) Department in Udhampur, a day after they were arrested by CBI in connection with an First Information Report.
As per an order by Shailender Kumar Pricipal Secretary (R&B), the Engineers placed under suspension with immediate effect include Hilal Ahmad Sheikh (Superintending Engineer, PW(R&B) Circle Udhampur); P.K Koul (Technical Officer of Superintending Engineer) and Sanjay Koul (Junior Engineer) have been placed under suspension in terms of Rule-31 (1) of Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1956 with immediate effect.
The government order has referred to a First Information Report under section 154 CrPC in case FIR number (RC0042021A0012) it received from CBI, Jammu.
The CBI arrested them for allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh from a building contractor at Reasi in Udhampur.
The agency took the trio into custody followed by searches at their residence and office premises, they said.
“The complainant said his firm was awarded tender for constructing a medical sub-centre in Reasi during 2017-18 and that he had executed a part of project. However, Sheikh then demanded a bribe of Rs 3 lakh for processing the file related to technical sanction of the project,” CBI Spokesperson RC Joshi said.
The PWD engineers had asked the complainant to meet at a certain place and pay a part of the bribe, he said, adding the investigative agency used this meeting to catch the accused red-handed.
“Sanjay Koul, the junior engineer, arrived at the designated place to collect the money on behalf of Sheikh and on the instructions of PK Koul and was nabbed,” Joshi said.
“Later, Sheikh and the technical officer were also caught,” he said.
Searches were conducted at the office and residential premises of the accused at Jammu, Udhampur and Srinagar, he said.
