The Anti-Corruption Wing of CBI in Lucknow today arrested the chief regional manager of Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), K M Tripathi, while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 70,000 from a contractor for extending him favour in a catering contract.

Tripathi, an IRS official, was caught at his official residence in Hazratganj area.

During the search at his residence, which continued till late evening, the CBI team recovered about Rs 25 lakh in cash, two gold bricks each weighing half-a-kg, documents related to two flats, an illicit .9 mm pistol and three licensed weapons.  

A CBI official said Tripathi had allegedly demanded the money from the contractor who lodged a complaint with the agency. The CBI team laid a trap and nabbed the officer red-handed, he said.

Tripathi has been posted in Lucknow for the last 12 years and has served with various departments of the Railways, including as senior divisional commercial manager with the Northern Railways’ DRM office here.

The CBI would be referring the case of recovery of .9 mm pistol, 50 live cartridges and two magazines from Tripathi’s house to the local Hazratganj police station. The CBI does not probe the Arms Act, an official said.

The official said the CBI’s special unit had put Tripathi’s mobile phone on surveillance for the last few months and subsequently asked the Lucknow unit to conduct raid after collecting evidence.