The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a senior officer with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹1 lakh from a cable operator in Himachal Pradesh. The bribe was reportedly taken to influence compliance assessments and protect the operator’s licence, officials said on Friday.
An accused officer allegedly demanded a bribe from a cable service provider in Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh, who holds a licence issued by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The CBI stated that Rawat sought to favour the operator in regulatory matters, including quarterly performance monitoring reports, which are critical for determining the acceptance or cancellation of licences.
The investigation revealed that Rawat also solicited bribes to assess documents on behalf of five other licensed cable operators in the state. These assessments could potentially shield their licences from cancellation, despite any anomalies found during regulatory checks.
Acting on a complaint, the CBI conducted a preliminary verification and laid a trap to catch the accused red-handed. He was apprehended while accepting the ₹1 lakh bribe at his office in Delhi. Searches were subsequently carried out at his residences and office premises in Greater Noida and New Delhi, where the agency sought further evidence.
