New Delhi, Jun 14 (IANS): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested five people, including two officers of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), in connection with a case of bribery of Rs 4 lakh in Guwahati.

The accused NHAI officers were identified as Dipak Das, Accounts Officer, Manoj Kumar, Junior Accounts Officer. Both are posted at NHAI's Regional Office in Dispur, Guwahati. The remaining three accused were identified as Sunil Kumar Agarwal (Executive Director), Pankaj and Dilip Rajput, all are associated with Gurugram based GR Infraprojects Ltd.

The agency has also recovered cash Rs 2.33 crore from the premises of the Executive Director of the private company.

A senior CBI official said that the case relates to the allegations of extending favours to the GR Infraprojects by the accused public servants for alleged processing and clearance of bills, release of Bank Guarantees in lieu of illegal gratifications.

It was alleged that the GR Infraprojects had executed a contract of road widening in Meghalaya in 2018 for which discharge certificate was to be issued by NHAI after completion of four years of mandatory maintenance on March 31, 2022.

The accused public servants and others had favoured the private company in processing and clearance of final bills and getting bank guarantees of the private company. They also helped him in getting releasing and discharge certificate issued by NHAI, for which bribe amount was allegedly paid to them.

The CBI laid a trap and caught both the public servants for demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 4 lakh from an employee of the said private company on its behalf, who delivered the bribe in connivance with other employees. The employees of said private company were also caught.

The CBI also conducted search operations at around 15 places including Guwahati, Bengaluru, Gurugram, Shillong, Patna at the premises of accused which led to recovery of incriminating materials.