In the heart of New Delhi, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) apprehended a culpable Enforcement Officer stationed at the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) in the picturesque district of Tirunelveli, nestled in the southern realms of Tamil Nadu. This arrest unfolded amidst allegations of an intricate bribery case.
According to the CBI’s assertions, the genesis of this legal saga lies in a complaint lodged against one P Kabilan, the Enforcement Officer in question. The accusations delineate a scenario wherein the accused purportedly solicited a substantial bribe amounting to Rs 15 lakh from the aggrieved complainant, the proprietor of a software enterprise in Tirunelveli. The gravamen of the charges suggests that this pecuniary demand was proffered to stave off potential punitive measures against the company, which had availed itself of the auspices of the Centre’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana.
Furthermore, the narrative weaves a tapestry of intrigue, contending that the implicated officer meticulously scrutinized the documents of the complainant’s corporate entity. In the labyrinth of paperwork, it came to light that the company had garnered a substantial sum of Rs three crore under the aegis of the Centre’s ABRY scheme. Allegedly, the officer, in turn, sought a five percent tithe from the complainant, a claim posited by the Central investigative agency.
In a cinematic twist, the CBI orchestrated a sting operation that culminated in the apprehension of the EPFO officer in flagrante delicto, caught red-handed while purportedly accepting a Rs two lakh advance of the purported bribe. The ongoing investigation, according to CBI officials, delves into the intricacies of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY), an initiative designed to catalyze the genesis of fresh employment opportunities within the formal sector through augmented support of EPF contributions for nascent employees.
