The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested Joint Director, Industries, Himachal Pradesh Tilak Raj Sharma red handed on Monday, while taking bribe from a medical company working at Baddi.

The accused officer was arrested with one Ashok Rana, reportedly his accomplice in the crime, and the bribe money of Rs 5 lakh was recovered from the two.

Sharma had reportedly demanded Rs 10 lakh for recommending case of grant of Rs 50 lakh as subsidy to the Baddi-based Madicef Pharma. Chander Shekhar, the Chartered Accountant of the medicine company had lodged a complaint with CBI as he has been working for the company as a consultant. 

As per the complaint filed by Chander Shekhar, Ashok Rana had demanded a bribe of Rs 10 lakh on behalf of Tilak Raj Sharma, for approving the case of Medicef Pharma. Chander Shekhar had submitted file of the company for getting subsidy of 15 per cent on the capital investment on the new machinery installed by the company in its Baddi plant. The subsidy is given to the manufacturing units as per the policy of Government of India.

Accused Tilak Raj Sharma allegedly asked the complainant to be in touch with Ashok Rana, who later made the demand for bribe. The complaint was filed on May 27, when Tilak Raj Sharma on May 22, issued a notice to the company seeking documents, which had already been tagged with the application for the grant of subsidy.

CBI spokesman RK Gaur confirmed the arrest of Sharma and Rana.  later on, a Special CBI Court Sharma for two days police remand. He was presented before the Special CBI Court with Rana.

While the searches at Sharma’s office and other places were on till late evening, CBI got his remand for two days to recover more incriminating evidence against him.