CBI Books Railway Official for Alleged Demolition Bribe at Jogeshwari East
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched a probe against a railway official for allegedly demanding a monthly bribe from a shop owner near Jogeshwari railway station East to prevent the demolition of his commercial establishment.
The case was registered following a complaint filed by Jogeshwari resident J.L. Thakur. According to the CBI, Thakur owns a salon shop situated in the vicinity of Jogeshwari railway station East, which has been leased out on rent.
According to the complaint, an individual identified as Ashish Yadav visited the salon premises after introducing himself as a railway officer and asked to meet the owner. When Thakur met him at the shop, Yadav claimed that the commercial establishment fell within the railway boundary area. Yadav allegedly stated that to avoid demolition action by the authorities, Thakur would have to pay him a bribe of Rs. 20,000 per month.
Thakur repeatedly pleaded with the official, expressing his inability to pay the requested sum, and suggested that Yadav proceed with the demolition instead. In response, Yadav negotiated the amount downward, first offering to reduce the demand to Rs. 10,000 and eventually settling on Rs. 8,000 per month. He instructed the shop owner to clear the payments for the months of June and July together and arrange the cash accordingly.
The matter escalated further on August 19, when Yadav visited the salon shop once again. During this visit, Yadav allegedly reiterated his demand for Rs. 8,000 per month and claimed that he regularly collected similar payments from other individuals in the area. He issued fresh threats that the shop would be demolished if the monthly amount was not paid, directing the complainant to arrange the money and contact him on his mobile phone number.
Unwilling to comply with the extortion demand, Thakur approached the anti-corruption agency to report the matter. The CBI conducted a formal verification of the complaint on August 21.
During the verification process, investigators confirmed that Yadav had indeed demanded money from the complainant in exchange for sparing the salon from demolition. Following the verification, the CBI registered a formal case against Yadav under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and initiated further investigations into the matter.
