New Delhi, July 1 (JKNS): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested senior IPS officer Deepak Gahlawat, Regional Director of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), in connection with an alleged ₹3 crore bribery case linked to an investigation into a fake drug manufacturing racket.
Official sources told news agency JKNS that Gahlawat, a 2012-batch Haryana cadre IPS officer on central deputation, was arrested after fresh evidence allegedly established his role in demanding a bribe from a Puducherry-based businessman by claiming he could influence officials probing the counterfeit drug case.
During searches conducted at premises linked to the accused officer, the CBI seized digital devices, hard disks and several documents believed to contain crucial evidence related to the investigation.
The case stems from an FIR registered by the CBI on June 8 against Inspector Pradeep Kumar Singh, alleged middleman Rajkumar and businessman N. Raja. During a trap operation on the same day, the agency arrested Inspector Singh, Rajkumar and five other accused.
The CBI had recovered ₹25 lakh as trap money besides ₹90 lakh in cash and several incriminating documents during the operation.
According to the investigation, businessman N. Raja, who was under investigation in the fake drug manufacturing case, allegedly approached Inspector Pradeep Kumar Singh for assistance. Singh is alleged to have arranged a meeting between Raja and Gahlawat at the latter’s office in Aerocity, New Delhi.
Investigators alleged that Gahlawat demanded ₹3 crore, including an advance payment of ₹1.5 crore, in exchange for ensuring a favourable outcome in the investigation.
The agency further alleged that Raja arranged ₹1 crore through a hawala network and handed it over to Inspector Singh. Of this amount, ₹50 lakh was allegedly passed on to another intermediary identified as Prabhat, while Singh allegedly retained ₹25 lakh in his office.
The CBI said interrogation of the previously arrested accused and further investigation led to the alleged involvement of the senior IPS officer, culminating in his arrest on Wednesday.
The agency said the investigation is continuing to identify and examine the possible involvement of other persons linked to the alleged bribery and influence-peddling network. (JKNS)
