CBI arrests communications manager at NTPC for taking Rs 8 lakh bribe: Officials

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrested a senior manager of corporate communications at NTPC Limited for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 8 lakh to pass bills, officials said.

The agency arrested Vijay Kumar, a senior manager of corporate communications at NTPC, in Mumbai, where he had flown in from Delhi to receive the illegal gratification, they said.

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"We are deeply concerned by the allegations of bribery involving one of our employees. The alleged incident is an individual act and does not reflect on the values of our organisation. Meanwhile, the employee has been suspended from the rolls of the company with immediate effect," NTPC said in a statement.

The vice-president of an advertisement company had filed a complaint against Kumar for allegedly demanding a bribe to pass bills worth about Rs 40 lakh, they added.

The advertisement company had installed booths in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry in January- February on behalf of NTPC for which it had submitted an invoice of Rs 40 lakh.

The work completion certificate was not enclosed as they were to be issued from the local authorities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Puducherry administration, they said.

When the company's representative visited local authority offices of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and in Puducherry and requested the issuance of work completion certificates, he was told that an email or call would be required from the NTPC.

According to the officials, when the advertisement company vice-president contacted Kumar for communication to the local authorities, he allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 6 lakh on assurance that he would take care of the bills, which would be cleared without any hindrance.

Kumar later increased the demand to Rs 9.45 lakh but brought it down to Rs 8 lakh after negotiation, they said.

On getting the complaint, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) laid a trap in Mumbai where Kumar was nabbed red-handed taking the bribe.

Kumar was later arrested and searches were conducted at his residence in Noida.

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