Graft case: CBI intensifies probe against CPWD staffer

HYDERABAD: A day after the CBI arrested Komareswar Rao — an Executive Engineer at the Central Public Works Department of India (CPWD) — under graft charges, officials have intensified the probe into his illegal activities. Rao was arrested for demanding Rs 60,000 from the complainant for clearing pending bills for contracts he executed for CPWD.

The accused officer had not released a pending amount of Rs 2.50 lakh to contractor Prasad Rao for work done at CIO staff quarters. According to CBI officials, Komareswar Rao demanded a bribe amounting to five per cent of the total amount to be cleared by him. The complainant had carried out contract works at the Regional Passport Office, GST Bhavan, Income Tax building, CRPF offices, AG Colony and so on, for which bills worth at least Rs 20 lakh were pending.

Finally, the accused officer agreed to accept three per cent of the amount as bribe. “The complainant initially paid Rs 45,000 as bribe to Komareswar Rao. However, Rao then demanded more. Unable to bear the harassment, the complaint approached the CBI,” officials said.On Tuesday, CBI officials arrested Sai Komareswar Rao and shifted him to judicial remand.