The Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI ) has arrested an Enforcement Officer of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation ( EPFO ), Jalgaon, for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 25,000. The arrest follows a complaint filed by the son of a labour supply firm’s owner.
According to the complaint, the firm had received an email from the Regional Head of the EPFO, Jalgaon, on July 31, 2024, notifying them about an impending audit by an Audit Officer. The audit, conducted between July 31 and August 2, 2024, revealed that the firm had defaulted on provident fund (PF) payments for March 2023, amounting to approximately Rs. 2 lakh. The Audit Officer allegedly informed the complainant about this default during the audit.
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Subsequently, the Enforcement Officer, who is now under investigation, contacted the complainant and demanded a bribe of Rs. 50,000 to settle the firm’s PF dues. After negotiations, the officer agreed to accept Rs. 25,000 as a bribe.
Acting on the complaint, the CBI set up a trap and caught the accused officer red-handed while accepting the bribe. Following the arrest, searches were conducted at the officer’s residential and official premises in Jalgaon and Nashik. These searches led to the discovery of incriminating documents, adding to the evidence against the accused.
The CBI has confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, and further details will be revealed as the case progresses.
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Recently, the CBI has arrested an Assistant Registrar of Companies ( AROC ) for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 3 lakhs from a Mumbai based director of a private company.
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