Himachal: CBI court dismisses bail plea of ED officer in bribery case

The court also dismissed the regular bail pleas of Niraj and Vikas Deep, also arrested in the bribery case

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court has dismissed the anticipatory bail application of Vishal Deep, an assistant director with the Enforcement Directorate (ED), in a bribery case. CBI had registered an FIR against Deep, a former assistant director-II (Intelligence) in Shimla, on December 22, 2024, under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

On January 10 this year, the Panchkula police arrested Vishal Deep for allegedly blackmailing and extorting money from a businessman. (Getty Images/Purestock)

The court also dismissed the regular bail pleas of Niraj and Vikas Deep, also arrested in the bribery case.

Deep, who was posted from November 2023 till December 23, 2024 in Shimla, had moved a anticipatory bail plea in an FIR registered by CBI. He had submitted that he has been falsely implicated in the case by CBI, and had accused the CBI officials of victimising him as he had decided to conduct a discreet inquiry to apprehend a CBIdeputy superintendent of police (DSP), and the complainant in one of the FIRs for alleged illegal acts committed by them under the Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) Act.

The bribery allegations surfaced on December 22, 2024, when the CBI registered two FIRs based on complaints lodged by Bhupinder Kumar Sharma, chairman of Dev Bhumi Group of Institutions, Una, and Rajneesh Bansal, chairman of Himalayan Group of Professional Institutions, Sirmour. Both accused Deep and other ED officials of “demanding bribes for not arresting them” in connection with cases registered against their institutions.

Vikas Deep and Niraj, both relatives of Vishal Deep, have already been arrested in this matter.

On January 10 this year, the Panchkula police arrested Vishal Deep for allegedly blackmailing and extorting money from a businessman. The arrest followed a complaint filed by Vishal Bansal, brother of Rajneesh Bansal, alleging threats to his family.

This arrest came close on the heels of an earlier incident where the CBI’s Chandigarh unit arrested Deep in Mumbai on charges of corruption. Following Deep’s arrest, the CBI sought his transit remand, citing the need to recover additional documents related to the case. However, a special court in Mumbai had rejected the CBI’s ruling that the arrest was illegal and ordered Deep’s release.

Meanwhile, application for production warrant of accused Vikas Deep and Niraj of CBI, was allowed by the CBI Court today. The Court however adjourned the matter for hearing on application for production warrant of accused Vishal Deep, for January 20.