Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched an investigation against a senior official of Indian Port Rail & Ropeway Corporation Ltd. (IPRCL) for allegedly obtaining undue advantage of Rs 20.81 lakh for performing the public duty from a Nagpur-based private company through its shell firm with whom the public servant was having official transaction and dealing. IPRCL is a company that is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Government of India.

According to the CBI sources, information was received that a Jhansi-based company was awarded a work namely 'construction of railway bed, RUB, Miner Bridges, track unlinking in connection with rapid railway siding system including railway siding' by IPRCL. Out of these works, certain works were subcontracted by the Jhansi-based company to a Nagpur-based company by executing an agreement.

The accused public servant who was posted in Nagpur was monitoring the said work and was instrumental in making entries in Measurement Books and Work Done Bills thereof for the work done by the company who was given subcontract.

While discharging public duty, the accused public servant allegedly obtained undue advantage amounting to Rs 20.81 lakh without consideration in his personal bank accounts and accounts of his family members from the company who was given subcontract.

"For the purpose of routing bribe amount, the proprietor of the subcontract company transferred amounts from its bank account to another bank account of a shell firm. Immediately after such transfers, amounts were transferred to bank accounts of the public servant and his family members. A case has been registered by the CBI recently on charges of criminal conspiracy for obtaining of undue advantage, bribing to public servant and abetment for obtaining bribe by public servant under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act," said a CBI official.