The CBI on Thursday arrested a senior official of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs five lakh and filed a case of alleged corruption against its Chariman.

CBI said the case was registered against AICTE Chairman, RA Yadav its Advisor H C Rai, Dy Director Robinder Randhawa and Regional Officer Sriom Dalal on alleged bribery charges.

A CBI spokesperson alleged the Regional officer of AICTE had demanded money for processing a case of increase in intake of seats of a Faridabad-based engineering college.

The owner of the college brought this to the knowledge of the AICTE Chairman, the Advisor and the Deputy Director but no action was taken by them and Dalal allegedly continued to harass the owner and forced him to give money.

"They (top AICTE officials) willfully and purposely delayed the process of issuance of Letter of Approval for starting this college in 2007-08, its extension for 2008-09, increase in intake of seats for 2008-09, approval of the extension of institute for 2008-09 and approval of intake in seats for 2009-10 with the intention to harass...," he said.

After verification, a case was registered against the four persons under 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and section seven and eight of the Prevention of corruption Act (taking bribe in respect of an official act and influence public servant).

Efforts to reach Yadav for his reaction did not fructify.

The CBI also arrested K Narayan Rao, a Member-Secretary of AICTE for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs five lakh from a person who wanted to open an engineering college in Andhra Pardesh.

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