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Visakhapatnam: The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Plant Protection Officer, Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage Department, Ministry of Agriculture (Govt of India), Visakhapatnam and three private persons including a Regional Manager of a private company based at Visakhapatnam in a bribery case.

A case was registered against the Plant Protection Officer, Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage Department, Ministry of Agriculture (Govt of India), Visakhapatnam and a Regional Manager of a private company based at Visakhapatnam.

The Plant Protection Officer, Visakhapatnam, Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage Department, Ministry of Agriculture (Govt of India) has been accused of demanding and collecting huge amounts of bribes from the CHAs, Fumigators and Shipping Agents for issuing Phytosanitary Certificates for exporting the goods and Consignment Release Orders for imported consignments.

It is further alleged that the public servant demanded illegal gratification from Regional Manager of a private company based at Visakhapatnam for clearing pending application and issuing favourable certificate to Customs for release of import and export consignments of agricultural commodities.

CBI apprehended the Plant Protection Officer, Visakhapatnam and the accused Regional Manager of the private company and recovered the bribe amount of Rs. 6000.

Searches were conducted at the premises of accused & others including his associates at Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Roorkee (Uttarakhand). Cash to the tune of Rs. 1,29,63,450was recovered from the premises of the public servant and Rs. 56,86,000 allegedly belonging to the public servant was recovered from the premises of others. Certain incriminating documents were also recovered.