CBI arrests Central Power Research Institute joint director in Rs 9.5 lakh bribery case

     New Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) The CBI on Friday arrested in Bengaluru Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) Joint Director Rajaram Mohanrao Chennu in an alleged bribery case of Rs 9.5 lakh, officials said.
     During searches at his residence, the CBI seized a huge pile of cash worth over Rs. 3.59 crore, foreign currency including US Dollar, Hong Kong Dollar, Singapore Dollar, Indonesian Rupiah, Malaysian Ringgit, Euro, Yuan (Renmin), Swedish Krona and UAE Dirham worth over Rs 4 lakh among others.
     It is alleged that Chennu indulged in corrupt activities and received bribes for issuing favourable reports for quality check of the electrical equipment produced by a Sudhir Group of Companies at the High Power Lab, CPRI, Bengaluru.
     CPRI is an autonomous society under the Ministry of Power and serves as an apex body for undertaking testing and certification of electrical equipment.
     The agency also arrested the company director, Atul Khanna, in connection with the bribery case, they said.
     "After registration of the FIR, the CBI laid a trap and apprehended the joint director of Central Power Research Institute, Bengaluru along with an executive of the private company while transacting the bribe amount of Rs 9.5 lakh on 09.01.2026 at Bengaluru," the CBI spokesperson said in a statement.
     According to the FIR, an equipment of the company was undergoing tests at CPRI for which Chennu allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 10 lakh.
     Khanna discussed the demand with Joint Managing Director of the company Rahul Seth and decided to dispatch Rs 14 lakh to Bengaluru to be distributed among Chennu and other officials involved in the testing process.
     The bribe money was allegedly transferred through hawala channel and was collected by Mallikarjuna Reddy Yartha, posted General Manager, Design in the company in Bengaluru on December 30, 2025, the FIR alleged.
     Yartha talked to Khanna and confirmed receiving Rs 14 lakh, which was to be distributed to officials of CPRI, it alleged. The agency has also booked Yartha and Seth in its FIR.
     "The searches have led to a cash recovery of Rs 3.76 crore approximately till now (including the foreign currency). Searches are continuing," the spokesperson said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)