Bhubaneswar: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday conducted extensive searches at the official residence of senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Bishnupad Sethi in Bhubaneswar. According to sources, the operation is part of an ongoing investigation into Sethi’s alleged “questionable links” with certain “dishonest officials” of the Bridge and Roof Company Limited. An eight-member CBI team from New Delhi arrived at Sethi’s residence around 8 am and began the search. The officials also reportedly questioned Sethi regarding the matter. As per reports, the CBI also raided the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe department offices, which had awarded a school construction tender to the Bridge and Roof Company Limited under allegedly “undue favor.” During the search, officials scrutinized various documents related to the contract. Sources indicate that the raid was conducted following a court order. Initially, Sethi and his family reportedly denied the CBI officials entry into the house, leading to a heated exchange between both parties. “I have no links with the Bridge and Roof Company, nor have I received any undue favor from them. There is no First Information Report (FIR) against me, and I don’t understand why this raid is taking place,” Sethi said in his defense. “We are being falsely implicated and harassed,” added his wife. Earlier, the CBI had summoned and questioned Sethi regarding an alleged bribery case involving a Rs 10 lakh transaction linked to a government project in Odisha. His name had also surfaced in the case diary. Additionally, the agency had previously interrogated three of Sethi’s drivers in connection with the investigation. Three persons, including a top official of Bridge and Roof, were arrested by CBI in connection with the bribery case.
Source link
