CBI arrests Delhi Police inspector, impostor for bribe

The CBI has arrested both a Delhi Police inspector and an impostor posing as a joint secretary of the central government, from whom he allegedly demanded Rs.3 lakh in bribe, agency officials said on Monday.

Following a complaint, Inspector Kehar Singh, deployed at west Delhi's Janakpuri police station as station house officer (SHO), was arrested for demanding the bribe from Ashutosh Singh, the deputy general manager of the Handicrafts and Handloom Export Corporation of India Ltd. (under the textiles ministry), on Sunday night. Ashutosh Singhwas also arrested

"The bribe amount of Rs.3 lakh was also recovered from their possession," said a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official.

The CBI registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act based on information that the police inspector was investigating a case of alleged cheating and fraud against Ashutosh on the basis of an FIR registered at his police station.

A CBI official said that the complainant had lodged a case with Delhi Police alleging that Ashutosh, posing as a joint secretary-rank government official, had duped him of Rs.1 crore which he had taken from him for releasing pending arrears.

"The police inspector had allegedly demanded a bribe to settle the matter."

Separate CBI teams conducted searches at seven places including Delhi, Noida and Mumbai at the office and residential premises of the accused and recovered Rs.40 lakh in cash and incriminating documents. These related to six immovable properties -- four flats in Mumbai, one in Noida and one bungalow in Mumbai, said the official.

"Identity cards, visiting cards of the designation of joint secretary to the government of India, cabinet secretariat, joint secretary (home ministry), Lok Sabha Secretariat, OSD to MoS (home affairs), OSD to chief minister of Uttarakhand and secretary Prasar Bharti (ministry of information and broadcasting) have been recovered from the residence of Ashutosh," the official said.

Two cars with beacons were also seized from Ashutosh's house, the officer said.

Ashutosh had earlier worked as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) and additional personal secretary for a few ministers of state including labour, home, rural development and parliamentary affairs.

--IANS

rak/pm/vt