The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended three individuals, including two private middlemen, in connection with a Rs 20 lakh bribery case related to officials at the Punjab Vigilance Bureau. The case originated from a complaint filed by a Punjab State Tax Officer alleging that Vikas alias Vicky Goyal and his son Raghav Goyal demanded the bribe to resolve a pending issue with the Director General (Vigilance), Punjab.
Investigations unveiled that the accused were acting as intermediaries for senior Vigilance officials, notably OP Rana, the Reader to the DGP (Vigilance), Punjab. Rana reportedly promised the complainant case closure upon receiving the bribe.
The negotiations eventually settled at Rs 13 lakh and a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 mobile phone for Rana. A trap set by CBI operatives in Chandigarh led to the arrest of Ankit Wadhwa, an associate of the middlemen, caught red-handed while accepting the cash and phone.
Raghav Goyal, Vikas Goyal, and Rana attempted to escape during the operation but were intercepted near Ambala at the Punjab-Haryana border. While the two middlemen were apprehended, OP Rana remains at large, with ongoing efforts to capture him. Searches at the accused individuals’ residences in Malout and Chandigarh yielded Rs 9 lakh in cash and incriminating documents.
Preliminary findings suggest the exchange of sensitive information on pending vigilance matters between Rana and the private individuals. The CBI is also probing the involvement of Punjab Police gunmen, armed with AK-47 rifles, with the private accused persons. The arrested individuals are set to appear before a designated court in Chandigarh as the investigation into broader conspiracy and the role of other officials progresses.
