2 NHAI Deputy Managers Among Five Arrested By CBI In Bribery Case

New Delhi : The CBI has arrested a member of the NHAI’s Dispute Resolution Board and two deputy managers of the highways authority for allegedly taking bribes to favour a private infrastructure company, officials said Tuesday.
The agency has arrested Rakesh Bhasin, a former engineer posted as DRB member, and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Deputy Managers Swatantra Gaurav and Vishwajeet Singh over bribes of more than Rs 10 lakh related to a highway project in Jharkhand.

The CBI has also arrested Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Bharat Vanijya Eastern Pvt Ltd (BVEPL), Manish Mishra, and his employee Umesh Mathur in the case.

It is alleged that Dineshchandra R Agarwal Infracon Pvt Ltd was awarded Rs 818 crore NHAI tender for four laning of a highway in Jharkhand between Bhogu and Sankha. The company sublet the project to BVEPL, a private infra development firm, at the cost of Rs 769.36 crore.

A pivotal element of the alleged misconduct stems from a quality audit team, comprising Bhasin, Gaurav, and Singh, which undertook an assessment of the project’s quality between June 26 and June 30, 2025, the CBI FIR alleged.
COO of BVEPL Mishra had directed his employee Mathur to deliver Rs 5 lakh to Bhasin and Rs 1 lakh to Singh to get favourable audit report, it alleged.

Later, Mishra asked another employee to deliver another tranche of bribe of Rs 5 lakh to Gaurav’s friend as well, it said.
Mathur allegedly solicited a meeting with Bhasin in Jaipur, during which the latter agreed to accept pecuniary advantages of Rs 4 lakh for the favourable report, the FIR said.
The CBI conducted an operation during which Bhasin, Gaurav, Singh, Mathur and Mishra were arrested, the offciials said. (Agencies)