CBI cracks whip on graft in Varanasi, books govt accountant

Varanasi, July 8 (IANS) Cracking down hard on corruption in Varanasi, the CBI has booked an accountant of the Central Ground Water Board who used to collect bribes on the pretext of clearing his colleagues' allowance bills, an official said on Tuesday.

Mukesh Ranjan Gupta, Assistant Account Officer, CGWB, Varanasi, was booked by the federal agency on the complaint of his colleague from whom he had demanded a bribe of Rs 5,000 for clearing his travelling allowance bill.

According to complainant Chaturanan Trivedi, Gupta threatened to get an inquiry ordered against him if he failed to pay the bribe.

Trivedi, in his complaint to CBI on July 3, said he is an Assistant Driller (ADCM) in CGWB, Khand-3, Dindayal Bunkar Seva Kendre (TFC), Bada Lalpur, Varanasi and his travelling allowance bill for January 2025 was withheld by Gupta.

The CBI FIR also said that it was alleged that to disburse the TA bill of the complainant, Gupta gave Trivedi time till July 5 to pay the bribe.

The FIR dated July 3 said, "The complainant alleged that if the demanded undue advantage was not paid, the accused would conduct an enquiry of the TA Bill, stop the payment of the TA Bill and transfer the complainant."

The FIR said that the complaint has been discreetly verified, which substantiated the demand of an undue advantage of Rs 5,000 on the part of Gupta.

After verifying the complaint, a CBI report said, "The mentioned facts and discreet verification prima facie disclose commission of offence punishable u/s 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) on the part of Mukesh Ranjan Gupta, Assistant Account Officer, Central Ground Water Board, Varanasi, UP."

"Hence, a Regular Case is registered and entrusted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB ), Lucknow for investigation," it said.

--IANS

rch/svn