CBI arrests NHPC executive, others in Rs 5-lakh bribery case

New Delhi, Jul 14 : The CBI has arrested a chief general manager of the State-run NHPC and two other persons including a senior executive of Gammon CMC Joint Venture Ltd in a Rs 5-lakh bribery case related to the pending bills of Parbati Hydroelectric Project in Himachal Pradesh, officials said Wednesday. Harjeet Singh Puri, Chief General Manager (CGM)-Finance, NHPC, Faridabad; Sunil Mendiratta, Senior General Manager (Project) of Gammon CMC Joint Venture and Sanchit Saini, who allegedly carried the alleged bribe money, were arrested, they said. During the searches, the CBI has so far identified four bank lockers of Puri in Faridabad and recovered 1 kg gold and Rs 25 lakh cash, they said. The CBI has also booked another person named Sunil Saini, and the company Gammon CMC Joint Venture in the case. The company had pending bills worth over Rs 5.26 crore for its ongoing work in Parbati Hydroelectric Project (Stage-II) of the NHPC near Kullu (Himachal Pradesh), they said. The CBI has alleged that Mendiratta requested Puri to expedite the process of payment for which the latter demanded a bribe of Rs 5 lakh. After getting the information of the bribe exchange, the CBI raided a location in Faridabad where Puri was arrested with Sanchit Saini who had allegedly brought the cash for the payment of bribe, they said. Later Mendiratta was also arrested by the agency, they said. “Searches were conducted at Faridabad (Haryana), Kullu (Himachal Pradesh) and Delhi which led to recovery of incriminating documents including of property and financial dealings. All the arrested accused will be produced before the Competent Court,” CBI Spokesperson RC Joshi said.