Chandigarh, Oct 8 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Sanitary Inspector working with the Municipal Corporation (MC), Chandigarh, in connection with a bribery case, officials said on Thursday. According to the investigating agency, the case was registered on Wednesday, October 7, against the accused Sanitary Inspector following allegations that he had demanded an illegal gratification of Rs 14 lakh from a contractor for processing and clearing pending as well as future bills of the complainant's firm.The CBI further said that the accused allegedly threatened the complainant with withholding the firm's bills and getting its tender cancelled if the demanded bribe was not paid.Officials said the agency subsequently laid a trap on Wednesday based on the allegations and caught the Sanitary Inspector red-handed while he was allegedly demanding and accepting Rs 5 lakh as part payment of the total bribe amount.The accused was accepting the money from a contractor engaged with the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, when CBI officials intervened and arrested him, officials said.The agency said the Rs 5 lakh was being paid as part of the Rs 14 lakh gratification demanded by the accused for processing and clearing the pending and future bills of the contractor's firm.

Following the arrest, the CBI also conducted searches at the residential and office premises of the accused Sanitary Inspector as part of its investigation into the bribery allegations.During the searches, officials recovered incriminating documents as well as documents related to immovable property, the agency said.The CBI is examining the documents and other material recovered during the searches as part of the ongoing investigation into the allegations against the accused official.The arrested Sanitary Inspector is scheduled to be produced before the Competent Court at Chandigarh later in the day, officials said.Further investigation into the matter is underway, officials.

/IANS