New Delhi, Jan 30 (IANS): The Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday said that it has arrested Darbara Singh, Deputy Director of the ESIC posted in Jammu in connection with an alleged graft case and during searches in Jammu and Punjab the agency recovered Rs 7 lakh.

The CBI arrested Singh for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 from the complainant.

A CBI official said the agency registered a case on a complaint against Singh by an employee of a private firm that provides security services to different private institutions.

The official said it was also alleged that the complainant came to know in the month of December 2020 that a notice has been issued to the firm by ESIC, Regional Office.

"On knowing this, the complainant and the owner, both visited the office of Singh. And during the meeting he allegedly told the complainant that their papers were not proper and ESIC would impose a penalty of Rs 23.9 lakh on them and if they would pay him bribe of Rs 2 lakh, he could reduce the penalty amount," the FIR alleged.

"After negotiation, it was the bribe was fixed in four instalments of Rs 50,000 each.

The official said that the agency sleuths laid a trap and caught Singh red-handed while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 50,000, as part of total bribe of Rs 2 lakh.

The official said that searches were conducted at the premises of Singh in Chandigarh, Mohali and Jammu which led to recovery of cash of Rs 7 lakh and documents related to properties.