Central Probe Agency Arrests Two Of Its Own Officials In Bribery Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two of its own officials, senior police officer RK Rishi and Inspector Kapil Dhankad, in connection with a bribery case. They have been accused of trying to influence an ongoing bank fraud investigation against two companies whose loan default amount runs into a few thousand crores.

An advocate representing one of the firms has also been arrested.

On January 12, the central probe agency had booked four of its own officials, three private companies and two of their advocates in connection with an alleged bribery ring run by them within the agency to help the accused companies.

The First Information Report (FIR) filed by the CBI names its own officials -- deputy superintendents of police RK Sangwan and RK Rishi, Inspector Kapil Dhankad and stenographer Sameer Kumar Singh. It also names directors and managing directors of two companies -- Mandeep Kaur Dhillon of Shree Shyam Pulp and Board Mills, and Sujay Desai and Uday Desai of Frost International - besides their advocates Arvind Kumar Gupta and Manohar Malik.

The agency, in its FIR, has claimed that the accused CBI officials have received more than Rs 55 lakh in bribes through these advocates since 2018 to influence the investigation into default of their bank loans.

The agency also conducted searches at residences of the accused and their premises in the CBI headquarters, from where they are said to have recovered incriminating evidences.

On Wednesday, searches were also continued at Mr Rishi's premises in Uttar Pradesh, sources added.

"The CBI arrested RK Rishi and Kapil Dhankad along with advocate Manohar Malik after these searches," agency officials confirmed to NDTV.

While Kapil Dhankad and Sameer Kumar Singh have been suspended by the CBI, the agency has recommended similar action against the two senior police officers, and both have been targeted out of Delhi.