Officer held while receiving bribe

KOCHI: The CBI’s Kochi-based anti-corruption branch has arrested an enforcement officer while receiving a bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh from a Non-Resident Keralite (NoRK). B A Naik of the Directorate of Enforcement in Kozhikode had demanded Rs 2 lakhs from the NoRK from Malappuram for not being trapped in a hawala (illegal transfer of money) case. Rs10 lakh was seized from the NoRK suspecting it to be ‘hawala money.’ Though the NoRK had presented the required supporting documents and proved that the money was not illegal, Naik had refused to absolve him of criminality. Naik had offered that if the NoRK paid Rs.1.5 lakh as advance towards the Rs.2 lakh bribe demanded, he would get his Rs.10 lakh in a month. The CBI was tipped off, and Naik was arrested while receiving the bribe. The CBI said he would be presented before the CBI judge here on Friday.