The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Lucknow, has arrested an Executive Engineer of the Postal Department for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe from a contractor. The bribe was sought in exchange for processing and releasing pending payments related to government construction works.
Case Registration and Allegations
According to the CBI, a trap case was registered on June 3, 2026, against Ashish Agarwal, Executive Engineer (Civil), Postal Civil Division, Prayagraj, under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018. The case was initiated following a complaint alleging that Agarwal had demanded an undue advantage of ₹3 lakh from a contractor executing various civil works under the Postal Civil Division. The accused also allegedly compelled the complainant to pay ₹90,000 for processing and releasing pending bills amounting to approximately ₹40 lakh. These pending payments were related to several construction projects in Kanpur Dehat, Varanasi, Akbarpur, Balrampur, and Prayagraj districts.
Trap Operation and Arrest
Acting on the complaint, the CBI verified the allegations and laid a trap on June 4. During the operation, the agency allegedly caught Agarwal red-handed while accepting ₹1.5 lakh as part of the demanded bribe from the complainant. Following the arrest, CBI officials took the accused into custody and initiated further legal proceedings. Searches are currently being conducted at locations linked to the accused as part of the ongoing investigation.
Further Investigation
The agency stated that further investigation is underway to ascertain the full extent of the alleged corruption and whether any other officials were involved in the matter. The CBI continues to examine documents and gather evidence related to the case.
