Bribe case: PCDA officers remanded in police custody

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 27

A day after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested two officers of the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (PCDA) office, Western Command, both accused were remanded in one-day police custody.

CBI officers told the court that they were suspecting the possibility of more persons being involved in the case and thus their police custody was required. The duo, Senior Auditor Vitesh Kumar and Assistant Accounts Officer Kashmiri Lal, will be produced in court again tomorrow.

The CBI officers told the court that the money was to be distributed among other officers and thus the interrogation of the two was required to unearth more facts in the case following which the CBI court granted them custody.

The CBI also stated that Rs 6.6 lakh was recovered from Kashmiri Lal’s residence.

The two accused were arrested yesterday from the PCDA office, Western Command, Sector 9, for allegedly taking an illegal gratification of Rs 20,000. The duo demanded money for issuing an annual settlement certificate to the brother-in-law of the complainant in the case.

Vitesh was caught red-handed while Kashmiri Lal was arrested on Vitesh’s disclosure.

The complainant had alleged that his brother-in-law, based in Pathankot, had a contract for supplying stationery and electrical items to the Army. A payment of Rs 10.5 lakh was pending to the contractor. The duo demanded 10 per cent of the total payment for clearing his bills and also to issue him an annual settlement certificate. The certificate is mandatory for future contracts.