CHANDIGARH – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Chandigarh, has registered a regular case against a high-ranking official of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) in Amritsar for allegedly demanding a “commission” to clear legitimate project bills. The investigation targets Shri Nitish Kumar, currently serving as the Executive Engineer (XEN)-cum-DDO at CPWD, Amritsar.
The Alleged ‘Rate Card’ Corruption
The case surfaced following a formal complaint by Shri Navjot Saini, the Administration Head (Punjab Region) of M/s Param Infra Pvt. Ltd.. The construction firm was awarded a contract worth approximately ₹72 crores in April 2025 for infrastructure development at the IIM Amritsar project.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), Shri Nitish Kumar allegedly demanded illegal gratification at a fixed rate of 0.10% (10 paise per rupee) on every running and final bill submitted by the company. The demand reportedly applied to both previously released payments and all future bills.
Recorded Evidence and ’10-Paise’ Demands
The CBI conducted a discreet verification of the complaint on February 5, 2026, which substantiated the allegations through recorded conversations. During these interactions, the official was reportedly heard insisting on the “10-paise” rate.
Excerpts from the transcript included in the FIR reveal the following exchange:
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- Suspect official: “Finish it at 10 paise… what less can we do?”
- Suspect official: “10 paise is a small amount… people take 15 to 20 [paise]. I’m not joking.”
- Complainant: “On approximately ₹25 crore in bills, at 10 percent… that becomes ₹2.5 to ₹3 lakh.”
- Suspect official: “Well… if you don’t pay, [the arrears] will only increase… if you had kept paying, it wouldn’t seem like much.”
The CBI noted that the official demanded a total of ₹2.50 lakh as an immediate bribe for bills totaling roughly ₹25 crore that had already been processed.
Pressure Tactics and Threats
The complainant alleged that the Executive Engineer deliberately delayed or withheld legitimate payments to coerce the company into paying the bribe. The official reportedly made it clear that failure to meet the demand would result in continued payment delays, which was already adversely affecting the progress of the IIM Amritsar project.
Legal Action and Next Steps
Following the verification, the CBI registered a regular case under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018), which pertains to public servants demanding undue advantage.
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Notably, the CBI obtained formal consent from the Government of Punjab under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, to proceed with the case. The investigation has been entrusted to Inspector Mukul of the CBI ACB, Chandigarh.