Bhubaneswar: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested four persons, including two senior officials of the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Odisha region, in connection with a bribery case.

The CBI has arrested FCI Odisha region General Manager Prem Singh Bhanot and Manager (Accounts) Sanjoy Dey, SP Traders and Suppliers proprietor Malina Dey alias Soumi Bhattacharya and middleman Syed Hasnain Ahmed of Kolkata in the bribery case.

The FCI officials were allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh for extending undue favour to the proprietor of the firm in securing a tender for transportation of rice.

The CBI has registered a case in this regard against the two FCI officials, the Kolkata-based proprietor of the firm, two middlemen and several unknown persons in this regard on June 28.

It was alleged that the two FCI officials, in connivance with the middlemen and the proprietor of the private firm, were indulging in corrupt activities causing losses to the public exchequer and obtaining wrongful gains for themselves in the matters related to processing the tender pertaining to transportation of rice grain.

It was also alleged that the two FCI officials had favoured the proprietor of the firm in the tender process. The FCI officials allegedly sought Rs 5 lakh as bribe in lieu of the undue favour.

The CBI laid a trap and caught the two FCI officials, the proprietor of the private firm and the middleman during delivery of the bribe amount. They were arrested and produced before the competent court in Odisha capital. The accused were later sent to police custody till July 6.

Following the arrest, the CBI conducted searches at various locations in Kolkata, Hyderabad and Odisha capital. The searches led to recovery of Rs 5 lakh in cash, locker keys, mobile phones, laptops and incriminating documents.