Taking major action in the bribery case in Mumbai, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a total of five people, including an Executive Engineer of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), his relative and three officials of a real estate group in Mumbai. It is alleged that a bribe of Rs 1 crore was demanded in exchange for issuing No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the construction project in Wadala. Later this deal was finalized for Rs 70 lakh.
According to CBI, the arrested executive engineer has been identified as Vikrant Verma. Other accused include Saurav Kumar, a Pune resident and relative of the engineer, Arvind Semwal, vice president of Baya Group of Companies, company manager Chetan Mahajan and Anil Deshmukh, partner of Renaissance firm under Baya Group.
Trap laid while taking bribe of Rs 50 lakh
CBI had registered an FIR in this case on 1 October 2026. The allegation was that CPWD Executive Engineer Vikrant Verma had demanded a bribe of Rs 1 crore in exchange for issuing NOC to start a construction project on a land in Wadala, Mumbai. Later this amount was reduced to Rs 70 lakh.
According to CBI, the bribe amount was to be taken through Saurav Kumar, a relative of the engineer. After this, CBI laid a trap on October 1 and caught Saurav Kumar red handed while taking a bribe of Rs 50 lakh. It is alleged that he had accepted this amount from Arvind Semwal, Vice President of the Real Estate Group, on behalf of the Executive Engineer.
At the same time, executive engineer Vikrant Verma was caught in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, when he was waiting to collect the bribe amount. Company manager Chetan Mahajan, who was present during the bribe transaction, and Anil Deshmukh, partner of the firm that sought NOC, were also arrested.
NOC issued after taking bribe
CBI investigation revealed that NOC was issued for the Wadala land in exchange for a bribe of Rs 50 lakh. No entry was made in the dispatch register of this NOC. The remaining Rs 20 lakh was to be paid after a week. CBI has also recovered Rs 50 lakh given as bribe.
Rs 53.87 lakh cash recovered in the raid
After the arrest of the five accused, CBI raided the premises of the accused and people associated with them in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune. During this period, apart from the bribe amount, about Rs 53.87 lakh in cash was recovered. Along with this, documents related to immovable properties and other important documents have also been seized. CBI said that all the five accused are being presented in the special CBI court of Mumbai on Friday. Further investigation is going on in the matter.
