CBI arrests CBEC official in bribery case

The CBI has arrested an official of the Central Board of Excise and Customs posted at the finance ministry, North Block, here, and another attached with the GST office in Mumbai, for alleged bribery in the processing of a service matter, officials said here today.

Ashish Thakur posted as assistant section officer in the administration section of the CBEC office in the finance ministry here and S K Swaminathan, Superintendent of Central Excise and Customs posted in GST, Mumbai office, were arrested in the case, they said.

Another Mumbai-based person Ravindra Kumar Mandal has also been nabbed in the case, they said.

Swaminathan had approached Thakur for favourable consideration of file pertaining to his promotion to the post of assistant commissioner that was pending because of certain ongoing disciplinary proceedings against him, the CBI FIR has alleged.

Thakur allegedly assured Swaminathan he would favourably process his file in return of considerable illegal gratification, it said.

He also gave contact number of Mandal for the delivery of the alleged bribe, it alleged.

Swminathan approached Mandal and spoke to Thakur over phone who demanded an amount of "50" from him assuring the promotion file would be processed favourably and an order issued shortly, it alleged.

The CBI alleged that Swaminathan agreed to pay half the amount initially and remaining after the order was issued.

The agency got input that Mandal was going to despite the alleged bribe in the account of Thakur on Monday evening following which all the three were nabbed, the officials said.

While Swaminathan and Mandal were arrested from Mumbai, Thakur was arrested from here.