Explosive licence official held for bribe

CBI said that a case was registered under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act against Yadav, D Sakthivel of AR and Company, Perambalur, and middleman Kumaresan of Centaur Consultant, Chennai. 

Based on a tip-off that Yadav had demanded a bribe of Rs 30,000 from Sakthivel for issuance of licence under the Explosives Act to open a fuel station at his property near NH-45, the CBI sleuths kept a watch at the Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation office in Shastri Bhavan. 

The team followed AK Yadav to Tiruchy and arrested him soon after businessman Sakthivel delivered the bribe money to him. Kumaresan who brokered the deal has also been secured, said CBI sources. 

The sources also noted that further investigation is on to find out if there was any deviation from the rules to issue the licence or whether Yadav has issued licences in the same manner earlier.   

The arrested duo was produced before the special court for CBI cases in the Madras High Court campus on Saturday and sent to Puzhal prison. Subsequently, CBI officials conducted surprise checks at 11 places including the top official’s residence in Jaipur, Chadigarh and Chennai, though they did not reveal details about the confiscated documents.