CBI arrests EPFO enforcement officer for ‘accepting’ Rs 2.5-lakh bribe, sent to judicial custody

According to the complaint, in connection with the said inquiry, Jindal approached Tyagi, enforcement officer, EPFO District Office, Patiala, and submitted all the required documents on behalf of Gir. Although all the necessary documents were available, Tyagi threatened to submit an adverse report recommending heavy assessment/penalty against Gir, Jindal claimed.

On July 20, Tyagi called Jindal and asked to meet him at the EPFO Regional Office, Sector 17, Chandigarh, on July 21. The FIR reproduces the allegation that during the meeting on July 21, Tyagi demanded Rs 4,00,000 for submitting a favourable report in the Section 7A inquiry and for ensuring that the matter was closed with minimum assessment/penalty. The enforcement officer indicated that if the bribe amount were not paid, Gir would face a heavy assessment and adverse action, the complainant alleged.

When Jindal informed Gir about the alleged bribery demand, the latter refused to pay and asked him to report the matter to the CBI.

According to the FIR, the complaint was verified by the CBI on July 21. The verification report stated that the allegations were substantiated and that Tyagi indeed demanded a bribe from the complainant.

On the basis of the complaint and the verification report, the CBI registered a regular case on July 22 and laid a trap the same day.

According to the remand application, Tyagi was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 2.5 lakh from the complainant in the presence of independent witnesses. He was arrested at 6 pm on July 22 after observing all legal formalities.

On Wednesday, the accused was produced before the Chandigarh CBI Court. In the remand application, the CBI stated that the accused was informed in writing about the grounds of arrest and that intimation of his arrest was promptly given to his family in compliance with constitutional safeguards.

Seeking 14 days’ judicial custody, the CBI submitted before the Special Judge, CBI, Chandigarh, that the investigation was at an initial stage and documents as well as key witnesses were yet to be examined.

The agency told the court that there are high chances that the accused may influence or threaten witnesses and tamper with documents required for investigation, and therefore sought his judicial custody in the interest of the investigation.

The court on hearing the matter ordered to send accused Tyagi to judicial custody.