CBI arrests Bank Branch Manager for demanding bribe

Visakhapatnam, Feb 7:  The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested a Branch Manager of Equitas Small Finance Bank, Dwarakanagar Branch, Visakhapatnam for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1.30 lakh from a man.

The CBI said that role of a clerk of the State Bank of India, Vizianagaram is also being looked into in this case.

The accused Branch Manager was identified as Akella Srinivas Arudra.

A senior CBI official said the victim had been running a shop in Vizianagaram. He approached Equitas Small Finance Bank for a business loan of Rs 20 lakh.

The official said that the Branch Manager called the complainant and demanded payment of 10 per cent of the loan amount (Rs 2 lakh) as bribe.

The accused Branch Manager further informed the complainant that the loan had been sanctioned and allegedly reiterated the demand of bribe for facilitating disbursement of the loan amount.

After negotiation, the accused allegedly reduced the demand to Rs 1.30 lakh.

In the meantime, the accused informed the complainant that the loan amount of Rs 20 lakh had been disbursed and credited into his account.

The victim businessman by then had approached the CBI. The CBI after receiving the complaint lodged a case. Seeing the gravity of the matter, the CBI formed a team of its elite police officials to probe the matter.

The CBI laid a trap and caught the accused red handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1.30 lakh from the complainant.

Searches were conducted at the office and residential premises of the accused at Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram.

The accused will be produced before the Competent Court at Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.