CBI nabs Asst Labour Commissioner for graft

VIJAYAWADA: Punumalli Bapuji, Assistant Labour Commissioner (Central), Vijayawada, was arrested by the CBI while he was accepting a bribe to issue a labour licence to a Hyderabad-based firm, which got a contract to provide sanitation services at the School of Planning and Architecture in Vijayawada. It was alleged that Bapuji was harassing the firm without issuing labour licence by raising objections and seeking clarifications.

The CBI said it started investigation after receiving a complaint from Parimala Rapetti, Public Relations Officer of Alfa Security and Allied Services, Hyderabad, stating that the firm got a sanitation work contract at the School of Planning and Architecture.It had applied for a labour licence for engaging 47 workers through online on Shram Suvidha Portal of the Centre by paying the required fee. The online application, however, has been kept pending with Bapuji, who is the licensing authority, since April 23.  

Bapuji allegedly asked the firm to submit a self declaration form under Rule 22 and the same was submitted by it. Later, he raised some objections to issue the labour licence. When Parimala contacted Bapuji over the phone and requested for grant of licence, he asked her to come to his office personally. 

When she visited his office in Vijayawada on June 13, Bapuji allegedly demanded `30,000 as bribe to issue the labour licence. Parimala reportedly told him that their firm could not pay such a huge amount as a bribe and requested him to reduce it. Finally, he agreed to a bribe amount of `25,000. Not willing to pay the bribe, she made a written complaint to the CBI, Visakhapatnam. 

A trap was laid and Bapuji was caught red-handed while he was accepting the bribe amount from complainant. The CBI conducted searches at the residence and office of Bapuji, which led to seizure of several incriminating documents, the CBI said. A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 has been registered against him.