Bribery Case: Court Sends Delhi Police SI to CBI Custody

A Delhi court has remanded a police sub-inspector to two days’ CBI custody in a bribery case related to a Rs 45,000-crore Ponzi scam involving Pearls Group founder Nirmal Singh Bhangoo.

Delhi Police sub-inspector Rajesh Yadav was apprehended by the CBI on Monday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 4.5 lakh from an employee of Bhangoo to avoid implicating his daughter and son-in-law in the Ponzi scam case.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar granted Yadav, posted at Barakhamba police station, CBI custody until November 16 based on an application by the central probe agency. The agency requested three days of custodial interrogation, asserting the necessity to question the accused to uncover a larger conspiracy.

The CBI informed the court that Yadav allegedly received the bribe on the instructions of sub-inspector Varun Chichi, also stationed at the same police station, who is currently absconding.

In a complaint to the CBI, the employee of Bhangoo claimed that Chichi demanded Rs 25 lakh to refrain from arresting and implicating Bhangoo’s daughter and son-in-law in the case against him.

The alleged demand was made 10-12 days ago when the complainant visited Barakhamba police station to deliver medicines to Bhangoo, who was transferred from Tihar jail, as per the CBI’s claim.

“The said sub-inspector agreed to accept a part payment of Rs 5 lakh from the complainant,” the CBI said. On the day of the “illicit transaction,” the CBI set a trap and apprehended Yadav receiving Rs 4.5 lakh from the complainant “on the directions” of Chichi.

The CBI also conducted searches at the premises of both sub-inspectors. Bhangoo and three others were arrested by the CBI in January 2016 in connection with the alleged swindling of Rs 45,000 crore from over five crore investors who were enticed with attractive land deals.