Prayagraj Chief Postmaster Arrested for Allegedly Accepting ₹1.5 Lakh Bribe; CBI Conducts Multi-City Raids
In a major anti-corruption operation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Chief Postmaster posted in Prayagraj on charges of allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹1.5 lakh.
The accused, identified as Awadh Kumar, was taken into custody on Thursday evening following a detailed investigation by the agency.
Acting on a complaint, CBI officials carried out searches at his residence in Dhumanganj and questioned him for several hours before making the arrest.
According to investigators, the case emerged after a contractor lodged a complaint alleging that the postal official had demanded illegal gratification in connection with the clearance of bills related to construction and renovation projects.
Following preliminary verification of the allegations, the CBI registered a case and launched an operation to verify the claims.
The agency’s Lucknow unit conducted coordinated raids at multiple locations linked to the accused, including Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Ghazipur and Kanpur.
Officials searched several premises associated with the postal officer and examined documents connected to public works contracts and financial transactions.
CBI sources stated that the complainant was involved in carrying out renovation and construction-related work for the postal department in different districts.
It is alleged that payments worth nearly ₹40 lakh for completed projects had been withheld, and the accused officer demanded a bribe to facilitate their release.
During the inquiry, investigators reportedly found that the contractor had already paid ₹3 lakh to the accused on an earlier occasion.
The complaint further alleged that the officer later demanded an additional ₹1.5 lakh. Based on these allegations, the CBI organised a trap operation.
On Thursday evening, officials arrested the Chief Postmaster while he was allegedly accepting the bribe amount.
After the arrest, investigators searched the accused’s official residence located within the Civil Lines Head Post Office complex in Prayagraj.
A thorough examination of the premises was conducted, and several officials of the postal department were questioned as part of the ongoing probe.
According to CBI officials, the accused had already received approximately ₹90,000 of the demanded amount before the trap was executed.
The operation was carried out after gathering sufficient evidence and monitoring the alleged transactions.
The investigation has also revealed that the contractor had executed various renovation and construction projects at postal establishments in Kanpur, Etawah, Baghpat, Akbarpur and other locations.
Authorities are now scrutinising records related to these projects to determine whether similar irregularities occurred elsewhere.
The accused has been booked under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and other applicable laws.
Investigators are continuing to examine financial records, official documents and communication trails to identify the full extent of the alleged corruption network.
Further action will depend on the findings of the ongoing investigation.
