Investigators of the Anti-Corruption Bureau on Wednesday arrested two officials of the Kandla Port Trust in Kutch, Gujarat, for accepting a bribe of Rs 4 lakh entirely in the new Rs 2,000 notes, as well as a tout. They seized 145 of the high-denomination notes, which were issued after the Centre’s move to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.
ACB Inspector HM Kansagra said two authorities of KPT – India’s largest public sector port – had asked for a bribe to clear a payment of a company. After the firm filed a complaint on being asked to pay an incentive, the investigative agency laid a trap to nab the corrupt officials, according to The Hindu.
KPT Superintendent Engineer Srinivanshu and Sub-Divisional Officer A Kumteshwar had sent middleman Rudreshwar Sunamudi to collect the bribe. Sunamudi received Rs 1.5 lakh allegedly for Kumtekar and Rs 2.5 lakh for Shrinivasu, after which the middleman confirmed the transaction to the engineer on the phone, The Indian Express reported.
ACB investigators also seized Rs 40,000 in cash from Shrinivasu’s house after conducting a search. An investigation is underway.
On November 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the Centre had decided to demonetise the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes to weed out corruption and black money from the market. New Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes were then issued.
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