CBI files chargesheet against RPF official arrested in bribery case

The CBI charged RPF officer Bablu Kumar for accepting a ₹70,000 bribe to release a seized trailer, escalating demands from ₹50,000 to ₹2.5 lakh.

MUMBAI: The Mumbai unit of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) submitted its chargesheet against a Railway Protection Force (RPF) officer booked in a bribery case for accepting ₹70,000 from a businessman to facilitate his trailer’s release.

CBI files chargesheet against RPF official arrested in bribery case

The businessman’s trailer was seized in an earlier case by the RPF. He filed an application before the Railway Court for the release of his seized trailer and the plea was to be heard on July 20. According to the CBI, sub-inspector Bablu Kumar, who was then posted at RPF Thana, allegedly threatened the businessman that his trailer will not be released even after a favourable court order until the bribe was paid.

Based on the businessman’s complaint, the CBI registered a case on July 15, against Kumar, under section 7 (demand of an undue advantage by any public servant) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Kumar initially asked him to pay a bribe of ₹50,000 for the release of the seized trailer. After receiving the complaint, the CBI verified the allegations on July 15 in a discreet manner, in the presence of witnesses. The ‘discreet verification’ had revealed that Kumar had subsequently hiked his demand of the bribe to ₹2.5 lakh, from the initial demand of ₹50,000. After negotiations, Kumar agreed to accept a bribe of ₹70,000 from the businessman. After verifying the complaint, on July 16, the CBI’s anti-corruption branch nabbed Bablu Kumar while he was accepting the bribe.