CBI Officer Held in Alleged ₹2 Crore Extortion Bid, Incident Raises Questions About Integrity Within Anti-Corruption Agency

An incident involving the arrest of an officer from India’s premier investigative agency has drawn attention and concern, highlighting how even institutions entrusted with combating corruption can occasionally find themselves grappling with misconduct within their own ranks.

On Tuesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation took action against one of its inspectors on accusations that he attempted to extract a large sum of money from a resident of South Delhi by allegedly promising to resolve a complaint said to be pending before the agency.

In an official statement issued by the organisation, a spokesperson confirmed that a criminal case had been registered against the officer.

According to the agency, the inspector was accused of seeking illegal gratification from a private individual in exchange for refraining from pursuing action in a complaint allegedly filed with the investigative body.

Following the registration of the case, the officer was taken into custody.

Officials familiar with the matter said the case came to light after the local police forwarded a complaint received from a resident.

The information was reportedly shared by the South District police authorities with the CBI for further action.

According to the First Information Report, the communication from the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) referred to a complaint submitted by Shubham Mishra at the Maidan Garhi Police Station.

In his complaint, Mishra alleged that a person identified as Deepak Phalswal had visited his residence located in the Mahabali Puram locality of Bhati Kalan on January 22 and introduced himself as an inspector with the CBI.

The complainant stated that the visitor allegedly attempted to intimidate him by asserting that a case had been registered against him with the central investigative agency.

According to the complaint, the accused purportedly demanded ₹2 crore to ensure that the matter would be “settled” and that no further action would be taken.

The FIR further mentioned that when Mishra refused to pay the demanded amount, the accused allegedly accepted ₹50,000 initially and later began pressing for a monthly payment of ₹75,000.

The complainant claimed that the accused continued to harass him through video calls on FaceTime while also instructing him not to contact the number directly.

Police officers said the complaint was formally lodged at the Maidan Garhi police station on March 9.

According to investigators, the complainant informed authorities that an individual was expected to arrive to collect money on behalf of the alleged intermediary.

Acting on this information, the police detained a law student named Raja who had reportedly arrived to collect the cash.

During questioning, he is said to have admitted that he had been acting under instructions from Deepak.

Later that same night, Deepak himself reportedly reached the farmhouse mentioned in the complaint and was subsequently brought to the police station for questioning.

A senior police official said that during the preliminary inquiry, Deepak initially presented himself as an officer of the CBI and claimed that his involvement was limited to assisting a friend named Sunny in recovering a personal loan.

However, investigators said that when confronted with audio recordings provided by the complainant, his explanation allegedly changed.

Authorities later verified Deepak’s credentials with officials from the CBI and confirmed that he was indeed associated with the agency.

Following questioning, both Deepak and Sunny were released but instructed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation and join the enquiry whenever required.

Investigators also received a pen drive containing recorded conversations, which has been submitted as part of the evidence in the case.

The episode has sparked discussion about accountability within law enforcement institutions.

Agencies such as the CBI are widely regarded as key instruments in uncovering corruption, financial irregularities and criminal misconduct across the country.

However, cases where individuals within such organisations themselves come under suspicion can leave the public surprised and concerned, underscoring the importance of transparency and internal vigilance within investigative bodies.

However, the arrested Inspector said that his arrest was frivolous and that he had been framed.

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