CBI arrests officer of National Institute of Unani Medicine in Bengaluru for bribery

The CBI has arrested an administrative officer of the Bengaluru-based National Institute of Unani Medicine for allegedly seeking Rs 1.10 lakh bribe from a canteen vendor for clearing his pending bills, officials said Sunday.

Nadeem A Siddiqui was arrested while allegedly receiving Rs 50,000 as a part payment of the total demanded bribe, they said.

According to the agency, the complainant company used to supply food to the patients of a Unani hospital, for which bills are paid by the National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM), Bengaluru, on monthly basis in the account of its owner.

It was alleged in the complaint that the contract tenure was going to expire within two months and two months’ bills amounting to Rs 3 lakh had been pending with NIUM.

In order to clear the amount, Siddiqui allegedly demanded Rs 1.10 lakh bribe from the owner, who had then approached the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

After verification, the CBI laid a trap where Siddiqui allegedly agreed to receive a part payment of Rs 50,000 from the complainant, they said.

”CBI laid a trap and caught the accused red-handed while demanding and accepting part amount of bribe of Rs 50,000 from the complainant. Searches were conducted at the premises of accused which led to the recovery of Rs 2 lakh,” the agency spokesperson said.

The accused was produced before a special judge for CBI cases in Bengaluru and was remanded in judicial custody, the spokesperson said.