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.

Rao was arrested along with his purported middleman SB Subba Rao when they were allegedly accepting Rs five lakh as first installment from the owner of the engineering college.

Giving details, the spokesperson said the agency registered a case on the basis of the complaint from the owner of the engineering college.

A middleman had asked him for a bribe of Rs 20 lakh on behalf of Member-Secretary of AICTE for inspection and approval of his college, the spokesman claimed and added the owner of the college had agreed to pay Rs five lakh as the first installment.

Based on the complaint, "a trap was laid early morning after observing all legal formalities and during the proceedings, the middleman and the member-secretary were arrested," the spokesperson said.

Searches were conducted at Rao's residence in Nivedita

Kunj in South Delhi and in Hyderabad and that of the alleged

middleman at Ongole, Andhra Pardesh, he said.

During the searches, Rs nine lakh in cash were recovered

from the residence of the member-secretary of AICTE and

documents relating to bank accounts and properties were

being scrutinised, the spokesperson said.