A Delhi court has ordered the 2012-batch Haryana cadre IPS officer Deepak Gahlawat to 14 days’ judicial custody in connection with an alleged bribery case. This decision came after the court rejected the CBI’s plea for an extension of his custodial interrogation. Gahlawat, who is currently serving on Central deputation with the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security in Delhi, was arrested by the CBI on Wednesday.
The CBI had initially requested a further four days of custodial interrogation for the IPS officer. However, the court turned down this request and instead sent him to judicial custody for 14 days. The Central agency had registered a case on June 8 against a Delhi Police Inspector and two private individuals. During the investigation, it was revealed that Gahlawat had allegedly demanded illegal gratification, claiming he could influence relief for certain private individuals in cases related to the sale of counterfeit drugs in Puducherry.
Gahlawat’s counsel argued against the CBI’s plea for custodial interrogation, stating that the IPS officer had cooperated with the investigation on multiple occasions. The defense also explained that the money credited to Gahlawat’s bank account was an advance for selling his old car, emphasizing that no public servant accepting a bribe would deposit such funds in a personal account. Earlier in the probe, the CBI had arrested a Delhi Police Inspector along with six private individuals and recovered significant amounts of money as trap money and cash.
The CBI had conducted searches at various locations associated with Gahlawat, seizing digital devices, hard disks, and relevant documents. The investigation into the alleged bribery case is ongoing.
