In a late-night operation at the Punjab Vigilance office in Mohali that was followed by a dramatic chase, the CBI arrested three persons, including two middlemen, in connection with a Rs 13-lakh bribery case involving senior officials of the department, officials said.
The action came after the CBI registered an FIR based on a complaint by a Punjab State Tax Officer, who alleged that Vikas Goyal and his son Raghav Goyal demanded a bribe of Rs 20 lakh to secure closure of a complaint against him in the office of the DG (Vigilance), Punjab.
In a statement, a CBI spokesperson said both accused were acting as intermediaries for senior Vigilance officials, including the Reader to the DGP Vigilance, Punjab. They allegedly used their influence to assure the complainant that his case could be settled. OP Rana, the reader to the DG Vigilance, reportedly assured closure of the complaint after payment of illegal gratification.
The investigation suggests that Rana was actively involved in the conspiracy, the spokesperson said.
During negotiations, the accused allegedly reduced the demand from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 13 lakh, along with one Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 mobile phone for Rana. After confirming the bribe deal, a CBI team carried out a raid in Chandigarh. There, an associate of the accused, Ankit Wadhwa, was apprehended while accepting Rs 13 lakh and a mobile phone on their behalf. The bribe money and mobile phone were recovered during the trap, the statement said.
Meanwhile, Raghav Goyal, Vikas Goyal, and Rana fled after being alerted by gunmen stationed at the spot to monitor the situation. The CBI officials chased them and after a dramatic chase, caught Raghav and Vikas. Two gunmen were also arrested near Ambala at the Punjab-Haryana border, the spokesperson said. Rana, the reader to the DGP Vigilance, is still on the run. Efforts are on to trace and arrest him, she added.
Searches at the homes of the Goyals in Malout and Rana in Chandigarh led to the recovery of Rs 9 lakh in cash and other incriminating documents, the spokesperson said.
The investigation also found evidence of exchange of sensitive information related to pending vigilance cases between Rana and the Goyals.
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