CBI has recommended administrative action against the other two officers. (Representational)
The CBI has suspended its Inspector Kapil Dhankad and Stenographer Sameer Kumar Singh for allegedly receiving bribes to give away probe-related information and compromise on investigation into two cases of bank fraud totalling Rs 4,300 crore, days after it booked them and two officers.
Officials said on Saturday that the agency has recommended to the Department of Personnel and Training to initiate administrative action against the two officers -- deputy superintendents of police RK Rishi and RK Sangwan.
The CBI has accused Dhankad, a State Bank of India manager who joined the agency on deputation as Inspector, for allegedly receiving bribes of at least Rs 25 lakh to compromise on investigation into a number of cases and passing on crucial information to the accused DSPs who were understood to have been working on behalf of Shree Shyam Pulp and Board Mills and Frost International.
Shree Shyam Pulp and Board Mills is accused in a Rs 700-crore bank fraud case, while Frost International is accused in a Rs 3,600-crore bank fraud case.
"The CBI has a zero tolerance policy towards corruption, be it other departments or within the organisation. The case is a result of strict vigil and action on any input which indicates involvement of our officials in corrupt practice," an official said.
The agency has alleged that Dhankad posted in the banking, securities and fraud unit of the agency, in collusion with the DSPs, was receiving kickbacks to pass on crucial information and compromise on investigation, they said.
According to the charges levelled in the eight-page FIR, made public on Friday after the completion of a search operation by the agency, Inspector Dhankad received at least Rs 10 lakh each from Sangwan and Rishi, who were soliciting favours for Shree Shyam Pulp and Board Mills and Frost International.
The embarrassing tale of corruption in the FIR says Sangwan, Rishi, Dhankad and Stenographer Singh, in conspiracy with advocates Arvind Kumar Gupta and Manohar Malik and certain other accused, "have been compromising the integrity of investigation of certain cases on extraneous pecuniary considerations".
The CBI after registering the case had carried out searches on Thursday in its headquarters where some accused officers are posted, its academy where Rishi is posted and 12 other locations across the country, officials said.
DSP Rishi received Rs 30 lakh in two equal instalments through two advocates having their office in Defence Colony here -- Manohar Malik and Arvind Gupta -- to extend favours to a Chandigarh-based company against which a corruption case was being investigated by the CBI, the FIR alleged.
It alleged Dhankad twice received Rs 2.5 lakh from Gupta for having brokered the deal through Rishi.
"It has also been reliably learnt that the details of the investigation of many other cases including confidential notes and directions have been communicated by Sameer Kumar Singh to Sangwan and Rishi on pecuniary considerations to protect interests of the accused," the FIR alleged.