4 CBI officers arrested, dismissed from service for fake raid on Chandigarh firm to extort money

The CBI has dismissed its four sub-inspectors allegedly involved in a fake raid on a company in Chandigarh to extort money after arresting them in a corruption case, officials said Thursday.

As part of its zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, CBI Director Subodh Kumar Jaiswal swung into action after the embarrassing episode was brought to his notice and issued directions to dismiss the accused officers from service, they said.

Sumit Gupta, Pradeep Rana, Ankur Kumar, and Akash Ahlawat — all sub-inspectors at the CBI’s Delhi-based units — were taken into custody by the agency after booking them in the corruption case related to the fake raid, they said.

The matter came to notice after a Chandigarh-based businessman approached the CBI with a complaint that on May 10, six persons, including CBI officials, entered his office and threatened him that he would be arrested for supporting and providing money to terrorists as they have information regarding it.

”It was further alleged that the accused forcefully took the complainant in a car and also demanded Rs 25 Lakh from him,” CBI Spokesperson R C Joshi said.

During the fake raid, a ruckus was created and one of the officers was rounded up, officials said.

Later, others were also identified, they said.

The CBI conducted a search operation at the premises of the accused officers during which incriminating documents were recovered, Joshi said.

”As part of its zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and other offenses, not only in respect of those from outside but its own officials, CBI on receipt of the complaint, immediately registered a case, identified its three other officials allegedly involved in the matter, and effected their arrests. Taking a serious note of this act on part of these delinquent officials, all four of them were dismissed from service,” Joshi said.