The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested a Plant Protection Officer and three others in Visakhapatnam in a graft case.
The arrested accused have been identified as Padam Singh, Plant Protection Officer in Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage Department, Ministry of Agriculture in Visakhapatnam, Athi Bulli Reddiyya, Regional Manager, M/s Exim Logistics Pvt Ltd, S Siva Rama Gupta and Myla Srikrishna Varma, Proprietor of M/s Quality Fumigation and Pest Control Services.
CBI stated that a case was registered against the Plant Protection Officer and a Regional Manager of a private company based at Visakhapatnam.
It was alleged that Singh was demanding and collecting huge amounts of bribes from the CHAs, fumigators and shipping agents for issuing phytosanitary certificates for exporting the goods and consignment release orders for imported consignments.
It was further alleged that the public servant demanded illegal gratification from the Regional Manager of a private company based at Visakhapatnam for clearing pending applications and issuing favourable certificates to customs for the release of import/export consignments of agricultural commodities.
CBI apprehended the Plant Protection Officer and the said Regional Manager of private company and recovered the bribe amount of Rs 6000.
Searches were conducted at the premises of the accused and others including his associates at Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Roorkee (Uttarakhand). Cash of Rs 1,29,63,450 was recovered from the premises of the public servant and Rs 56,86,000 allegedly belonging to the public servant was recovered from the premises of others. Certain incriminating documents were also recovered.
( With inputs from ANI )
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