KOCHI:  A former NHAI(National Highways Authority of India) project director was sentenced to three years’ simple imprisonment by the CBI Court for demanding and accepting a bribe for issuing a NOC to construct a hotel beside the NH in 2007. Bitla Venugopal, 52, of Chempukkavu, Thrissur was also slapped with a fine of Rs 2.5 lakh. The CBI Court found him guilty of offences under Section 7 and 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption(PC) Act. 

According to the prosecution,  Venugopal  had on February 20, 2007 issued a letter , to civic bodies that NOC from NHAI has to be obtained for any construction along NHAI. When the complainant Jose Kuruvinakkunel approached Thrissur Corporation for starting a three-star hotel at Mannuthy, the Corporation forwarded his application to NHAI.

Later when the applicant contacted NHAI to inquire about the NOC, the accused demanded a bribe of `1. 5 lakh. The complaint then approached CBI DySP Nandakumar. CBI filed a chargesheet against accused in 2008. The trial  in the case commenced in June 2016.