New Delhi, Aug 1 (IANS): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday said that they have arrested a Chief Freight Transport Manager (CFTM) of the East Central Railway, and four others including the Director of a private company in connection with a case of bribery.

The accused were identified as CFTM Sanjay Kumar, railway officials Rupesh Kumar, and Sachin Mishra, Nawal Ladha of Abha Agro Industries Private Ltd and Abha Agro Export Private Ltd, Manoj Ladha, and Manoj Kumar Saha.

According to a senior CBI official, they lodged an FIR in this connection on July 31, as per the allegations that the accused collected illegal gratification from the vendors of the ECR for preferential allotment of railway racks for loading goods.

"Director of Kolkata-based private company, pursuant to a well-knit conspiracy with public servants of East Central Railway, regularly availed out of turn and priority allotment of railway rack services, to have extra stacking time for his firm and take other undue advantages in exchange of payment of huge bribes on monthly basis to the public servants," the CBI said.

The Director of the company directed his brother to deliver Rs 23.5 lakh to various officers of ECR.

The CBI then laid a trap and caught the CFTM accepting the bribe of Rs 6 lakh, along with the bribe giver. Later, three other accused were also caught.

Searches were conducted in 16 locations including Patna, Sonpur, Hajipur, Samastipur, and Kolkata which led to the recovery of various incriminating documents and Rs 46.50 lakh, Rs 29 lakh of which was from a businessman in Kolkata.

A SUV car in which six envelopes, containing the cash to be delivered to various officers of ECR, was also recovered.