KOCHI: The CBI on Sunday took three India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) officials into custody for taking bribe from eight hotels in Malabar for promoting them to three-star level. The arrested are ITDC assistant director Velu Murghan, tourism development officer, Shabu and public relations officer Radhakrishnan. The CBI is questioning the managers of the invloved hotels and more arrest will be made soon. The CBI raided ITDC office in Wellington Island and seized Rs. 4.5lakh. The CBI also conducted raids on the houses of the arrested officials and recovered Rs. 3.5 lakh from a house. CBI SP Krishna Kumar told Express that these people were booked after a tip-off received on Saturday night that they had taken money from the hoteliers as bribe for promoting the hotels. He said that CBI was currently quizzing the managers of these hotels. Some travel agents will also be questioned soon. The CBI has included owners of the hotels also in the case. Hotels that are involved include Surya Hotels owned by Chak Radha Krishnan, Pearl View Regency in Thalassery, Broad Bean in Kannur and another hotel in Kozhikode. There are speculations that several other top officials of ITDC in Chennai are involved in the case. The arrested will be presented before the Judicial Magistrate on Sunday evening or Monday morning.
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