CBI arrests three postal officials in Meghalaya for taking Rs 30,000 bribe

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested three employees of the Postal Department in Meghalaya’s East Garo Hills district for allegedly accepting a bribe from a Gram Dak Sevak in exchange for releasing his pending salary, officials said on Tuesday, October 7.

According to the CBI, the complainant, a Gram Dak Sevak, had alleged that his salary had been withheld for the past 10 months and that the accused officials demanded a bribe equivalent to two months’ pay for its release. 

After negotiations, they allegedly agreed to accept Rs 30,000 and instructed the complainant to pay the amount after his salary was credited.

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Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap and caught the Assistant Branch Postmaster of Williamnagar red-handed while accepting the bribe. Following the operation, two other officials — the Sub-Divisional Inspector of Williamnagar and a postman from Rongjeng sub-post office, where the complainant was posted — were also arrested. The inspector was apprehended in Shillong, while the postman was nabbed from Ambassa in Tripura’s Dhalai district.

During subsequent searches at their offices and residences, the CBI recovered incriminating documents and Rs 2.3 lakh in cash.

Officials said further investigation is underway to determine whether more postal employees were involved in the bribery scheme.