“The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested an assistant provident fund commissioner and an enforcement officer of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Lucknow, in connection with a ₹8-lakh bribery case,” officials said on January 31.
“In an operation conducted late on Tuesday night (January 30), a middleman was also arrested,” they said.
"Searches are being conducted at four locations in Lucknow on the official and residential premises of the accused," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.
“A complaint was received against the accused that they had allegedly demanded ₹12 lakh through a consultant and the arrested middleman for “not imposing tax in an improper way on a private company engaged in supply of manpower,” the spokesperson said.
“The information was verified and a trap was laid. The accused enforcement officer and the middleman were caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of ₹8 lakh,” he said.
“The bribe was allegedly meant for the assistant provident fund commissioner, EPFO, Lucknow. He has also been arrested,” the spokesperson said. "The arrested accused will be produced before the special judge for CBI cases, Lucknow," he said.