CBI Arrests Railway Engineer in Vijayawada for Allegedly Accepting ₹15 Lakh Bribe; Private Individual Also Held
Vijayawada, August 16, 2026:
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Senior Section Engineer of South Central Railway in Vijayawada after allegedly catching him red-handed while accepting a bribe of ₹15 lakh. A private individual, identified as the son of a company’s managing director, has also been arrested in connection with the case.
According to the CBI, the case involves alleged irregularities in the processing and approval of a bonus claim linked to a major railway infrastructure project. The investigation centres on an Automatic Block Signalling project worth approximately ₹179.50 crore, which had been awarded to a joint venture of two private companies by South Central Railway.
The CBI registered the case on August 16, 2026, against the Senior Section Engineer, four representatives of private companies, and other unidentified public servants and private individuals over allegations of bribery and manipulation of official records.
Alleged Manipulation of Bonus Approval Records
According to information received by the investigating agency, the joint venture responsible for executing the Automatic Block Signalling project had reportedly claimed a bonus of around ₹7 crore for completing the work ahead of schedule.
The CBI received information suggesting that officials associated with the office of the Chief Signal and Telecommunications Engineer (CSTE), Projects, South Central Railway, Vijayawada, had allegedly manipulated or altered dates in the relevant bonus file. These changes were suspected to have been made to extend undue benefits to the joint venture and facilitate approval of its bonus claim.
The agency is investigating whether the alleged alteration of official records was carried out to improperly secure the release of the bonus amount and whether the process involved a larger arrangement between railway officials and representatives of the private companies.
CBI Trap Leads to Recovery of ₹15 Lakh
As part of its investigation, the CBI laid a trap on August 16, 2026, after receiving information about the alleged delivery of the bribe. According to the agency, the managing director of one of the private companies had informed the accused Senior Section Engineer that his son would deliver the money while travelling from Visakhapatnam to Vijayawada.
Acting on this information, the CBI team caught the Senior Section Engineer red-handed while he was allegedly accepting ₹15 lakh from the private individual. The bribe was reportedly intended as a reward for facilitating the sanction and release of the bonus amount claimed by the company associated with the private individual’s father.
The entire amount of ₹15 lakh was recovered during the trap operation. The recovery is a key part of the evidence being examined by investigators as they work to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged bribery and the roles played by the individuals involved.
Searches Conducted at Multiple Locations
Following the arrests, the CBI launched searches at the premises of the accused persons at several locations, including Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Pithapuram and Hyderabad.
The searches are aimed at gathering further evidence relevant to the case, including any material that may help investigators establish the alleged connection between the railway engineer, the private individual and the companies involved in the project.
The agency is also examining the circumstances surrounding the processing of the bonus claim and the alleged changes made to official records. Further investigation is expected to clarify the extent of the alleged irregularities and whether other individuals were involved.
Accused to Be Produced Before Court
The CBI arrested the Senior Section Engineer and the private individual on August 16, 2026. According to the agency’s press release, both accused were scheduled to be produced before the competent court in Vijayawada on August 17, 2026.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the agency is continuing to collect evidence to determine the full extent of the alleged bribery and possible manipulation of official procedures.
The case highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in public infrastructure projects, particularly those involving substantial government contracts and financial incentives. However, the allegations remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings, and the guilt of the accused will be determined by the court.
News Source: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) – Official Press Release
