CBI arrests duo for seeking bribe from fruit vendor

The CBI on Thursday arrested two men working for the market committee of Sector 26 grain market for seeking a bribe of ₹12,000 from a vendor to allow him to sell fruits in the market.
Both Sabar Ali, a driver, and Rahul Yadav, a contractual multi-tasking staff, were booked under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The fruit vendor, Ravi Shankar, had approached CBI on February 19, stating that he had been running a fruit stall the market for the past 26 years. He alleged that the market committee secretary repeatedly sent his men and got his fruit confiscated, without providing any receipt.
Shankar alleged that he met the secretary regarding this, following which he was told to meet his driver Sabar Ali.
But when he met Ali, he asked him to pay ₹12,000 per week, threatening to confiscate his fruits and bar him from running his stall in future.
On Shankar’s complaint, CBI sleuths laid a trap on Thursday and apprehended Ali, along with contractual staffer Rahul Yadav while demanding and accepting bribe of ₹12,000.
Both were arrested and produced before a special CBI court, where it was argued that the case was at initial stage, important documents pertaining to the case were to be collected and important witnesses were to be examined. Arguing that the accused could influence witnesses, tamper with evidence and evade the process of law, CBI sought judicial custody, which was allowed by the court.