CBI arrests NIA DySP posted in Patna branch along with two middlemen

The officer was obtaining undue advantage for granting favour in investigation of an ongoing NIA case linked to former JD(U) MLC Manorama Devi

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in coordination with the NIA National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested two middlemen and DySP Ajay Pratap Singh of NIA posted in Patna Branch on the allegations of obtaining undue advantage for granting favour in investigation of an ongoing NIA case.

The CBI on Thursday (October 3, 2024) issued the official statement stating that the apprehensions were made after the CBI team trapped the middlemen closely associated with the accused DySP accepting a bribe of ₹20 Lakhs. Accused DySP is an Income Tax official, on deputation to NIA.

Rocky Yadav, son of former Janata Dal (United) MLC Manorama Devi had approached the CBI about the DySP after which the action had been taken.

“A complainant, resident of Gaya, Bihar, approached CBI alleging that said DySP, NIA [Patna] has been extorting money from him by threatening to fabricate his family in a criminal case and falsely implicating his family for illegally stocking unlicensed assault weapons,” CBI said in the press statement.

On September 19, NIA had carried out raids at five locations in Bihar including the house of Ms. Devi in Gaya in connection with its probe against the banned outfit CPI (Maoist). Ten weapons of different bores and ₹4.03 crore in cash was recovered.

Following these searches, as Investigating officer, DySP issued a notice on September 24, summoning the complainant to appear before the NIA office Patna on September 26. The complainant appeared before the IO on the given date.

During interrogation, it was alleged that accused DySP threatened the complainant with implicating him in the criminal case and to face severe consequences.

In order to help him escape the consequences, DySP allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹2.5 crore. Under pressure, the complainant allegedly agreed to pay the bribe to protect his family from the false charges. Accused DySP asked the complainant to pay an initial instalment of ₹25 lakh on the same day (September 26) and provided him with a handwritten note with a middleman’s mobile number.

Subsequently, it was alleged that the complainant arranged ₹25 lakh and directed his relative to deliver the money after contacting the given number. As instructed, the money was delivered to the recipient, who arrived in Aurangabad, Bihar,

It was revealed that said DySP was in contact with an accused middlemen who along with another middlemen were present in Aurangabad, Bihar, around 11:30 p.m. on the day of incident (September 26), corroborating the reported delivery of the bribe.

After a couple of days, the complainant was once again summoned by said Dy SP to appear before the NIA office Patna on October 1. The complainant appeared before the Dy SP in his office on a given date. A demand was then made for a bribe of ₹70 lakh, with a direction to deliver ₹35 lakh on the same day at Patna.

Accused Dy SP again provided him with a handwritten note containing a mobile number and later, the complainant contacted the given number and requested for some time to arrange the money and assured for the delivery on October 3 in Gaya.

Entire matter was also brought in the knowledge of senior officials of NIA by the CBI team.

“In effective coordination with NIA, a regular case u/s 7,12 of PC Act (As amended in 2018) read with Section 308(6) & Section 61(2)of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered on October 3, against said Dy SP NIA and two middlemen and unknown others. Searches are being conducted at several places in Gaya, Patna and Varanasi and investigation of the case is in progress. Several incriminating documents and digital devices have been recovered so far during the searches in addition to ₹20 lakh as a bribe,” the CBI said in the statement.

Published - October 04, 2024 07:42 pm IST