Punjab Vigilance bribery case: CBI arrests 3; Reader to VB chief absconding
The agency has uncovered an exchange of sensitive Vigilance information and is now probing why the Punjab Police provided official gunmen to private individuals involved in the racket.
The CBI has arrested three people for allegedly demanding bribes to settle a tax officer's case (Express photo by Jasbir Malhi). The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Tuesday arrested three men in connection with a Rs 20 lakh bribery case involving the Punjab Vigilance Bureau. While the middlemen were apprehended after a high-speed chase, the Reader to the Chief Director of Vigilance remains at large.
The case was registered following a complaint by a Punjab state tax officer. According to a CBI statement, the accused, Vikas alias Vicky Goyal and his son Raghav Goyal, demanded Rs 20 lakh to secure the closure of a pending vigilance complaint against the officer.
The agency alleged that the duo acted as intermediaries for senior Vigilance officials. Specifically, O P Rana, the Reader to the Chief Director (Vigilance), allegedly assured the complainant that the matter would be settled once the “illegal gratification” was paid.
Following a verification process, the bribe amount was allegedly reduced to Rs 13 lakh, and a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 mobile phone intended for Rana was provided.
On May 11, CBI teams laid a trap in Chandigarh. Ankit Wadhwa, an associate, was caught red-handed while accepting the cash and the phone, according to the statement.
Upon seeing CBI officials, the Goyals and Rana allegedly attempted to flee. The agency noted that the accused were alerted by armed gunmen present at the scene for surveillance.
After a chase, the CBI team intercepted and apprehended the Goyals and two gunmen near Ambala at the Punjab-Haryana border. However, Rana evaded arrest and remains at large.
Searches conducted at the residences of the Goyals in Malout and Rana’s home in Chandigarh led to the recovery of Rs 9 lakh in cash and incriminating documents, according to the CBI statement.
Further investigation revealed that the accused OP exchanged sensitive information related to ongoing Vigilance matters and private individuals. The broader conspiracy, including potential illegal gratification connections and the involvement of other persons, is still under investigation, the agency noted.
“The accused private persons were given police gunman officially. The role and attachment of Punjab Police gunmen carrying AK-47 rifles with the private accused persons is also being examined. The accused will be produced before the designated court at Chandigarh,” the agency added.
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