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Guwahati, Oct 15 (IANS) The CBI has arrested the Executive Director and Regional Officer of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), Guwahati, for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from a private individual in exchange for issuing a favourable completion certificate and extension of time for a highway project, officials said on Wednesday.

According to a CBI statement, the arrest followed a trap laid on October 14 after the agency received source-based information about the alleged bribery.

The official was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 10 lakh from a representative of a private company linked to the four-laning project of National Highway-37 between Demow and the end of Moran Bypass in Assam.

The private company had also been involved in other NHIDCL contracts across the state. The arrested person has been identified as Maisnam Riten Kumar Singh, Executive Director and Regional Officer, NHIDCL, Regional Office, Guwahati.

CBI officials said the bribe was demanded to facilitate the issuance of a favourable extension of time (EOT) and the completion certificate for the project.

Alongside the NHIDCL Executive Director, a private person was also arrested during the trap operation.

Meanwhile, another person identified as Binod Kumar Jain, representative of M/s Mohan Lal Jain in Kolkata, was also taken into custody by the central agency for his alleged involvement in this case.

Following the arrests, CBI teams carried out extensive searches at seven office and residential premises of the accused across multiple locations in India.

During these searches, investigators recovered unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 2.62 crore from the accused's residence.

In addition, CBI said that preliminary investigation has revealed the acquisition of assets by the accused officer and his family members, including nine landed properties and 20 apartments located in different parts of the country.

Documents related to the purchase of high-end vehicles registered in his name have also been seized. The agency stated that verification of the accused's immovable and movable properties is underway.

Both the NHIDCL Executive Director and the private individual arrested in the case will be produced before the Court of Special Judge, CBI Cases, Guwahati, later on Wednesday.

--IANS

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