The CBI has tightened its noose around a prominent real estate builder who is believed to have played a key role in bribing two officials of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) arrested by sleuths early this week.

A general manager and chief general manager of the NHAI were found to be involved in unfair practices in awarding highway projects to private parties. What appears to have given the whole episode a curious turn is the fact that a relative of the prominent real estate builder from UP figured among the list of those bribing the officials.

This real estate group is perceived to be very close to the BSP regime and has bagged various prestigious highway, state-way contracts and real estate projects in the state out of turn. Though the group is also known to have developed patronage in the BJP-ruled states like Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, it's major economic activity is centered around UP.

The CBI arrests of the NHAI officials and the subsequent investigation appears to have given the investigative agency a scope to probe this group's political linkages. Sources in the government admit that CBI sleuths are more keen on ferreting out “secret liasions” of this group with non-Congress leaders than the truth to serve the interest of their political masters.