CBI arrested Indian Oil general manager and among others while the GM was exchanging bribe. (File)
The CBI arrested Indian Oil General Manager Dibya Jyoti Datta in Guwahati for allegedly receiving bribe of Rs 2 lakh from a businessman after promising to allot him a petrol pump by manipulating computer systems used in the lottery for allotments, officials said on Tuesday.
Businessman Lal Chand Choudhary and his associate Bendangnaro Ao, who had allegedly gone to deliver the bribe, have also been arrested, they said.
Dibya Datta, General Manager (Sales) of the stat-run firm, had assured them of help in winning lottery of new retail outlets by manipulating computer systems, the officials said.
The agency had registered a case against Dibya Datta, Lal Chand Choudhary, Bendangnaro, besides two others -- Laxmi Narain Sogani and Tony.
All public sector undertakings in the oil sector, including the Indian Oil Corporation, had published a joint advertisement in November last year for selection of dealers for regular and rural retail outlets. The selection was to happen in batches on lottery basis, according to the FIR filed by the CBI.
Dibya Datta allegedly entered into a criminal conspiracy with Lal Chand Choudhary, who is based in Nagaland, with an assurance of favouring him in allotment of one retail outlet in return for a bribe, the FIR alleged.
On December 24, Lal Chand Choudhary informed Dibya Datta of having applied for more than one retail outlets including the one in Tuli in Nagaland for which he claimed that the application was selected, the FIR said.
The CBI got information that there was apprehension that computer systems were manipulated by senior officials so the entire systems were changed, it alleged.
Dibya Datta told Lal Chand Choudhary that he was lucky that he could ensure selection of his application before changes in the system took effect and demanded bribe soon for this selection, it said.
The agency alleged in its FIR that Dibya Datta asked for a bribe of Rs 5 lakh to be delivered to him on February 10 in Guwahati.
Lal Chand Choudhary told Dibya Datta that he is sending Rs 2 lakh as first installment through a woman, Bendangnaro Ao, who is his business associate.
Dibya Datta also asked him to pay Rs 50,000 and Rs 55,000 as premiums to an insurance agent in Dimapur on his behalf, the CBI alleged.
The agency also got information about more such cases and it also surfaced that he was constructing a palatial building worth crores in Sonitpur using the bribe money, the FIR alleged.
The agency arrested Dibys Datta, Bendangnaro while exchanging bribe on Monday and Lal Chand Choudhury was arrested later.