Shimla, Sep 6 - A senior government official was arrested Sunday while accepting a bribe of Rs.4.25 lakh from three contractors, police said.

'Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board's chief engineer Latish Malhotra was arrested from Dharamsala in Kangra district Sunday while taking a bribe of Rs.4.25 lakh from three contractors,' Director General of Police (Vigilance) D.S. Manhas said.

Malhotra was due to retire Sep 30 this year, he said. The official has been booked under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Malhotra is the second senior most government official arrested by the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau in the past two months.

Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Sanjay Gupta, who was General Industries Corporation (GIC) managing director, was arrested in July from a hotel in Parwanoo for possessing Rs.200,000 in cash.