A Delhi court on Thursday sent a police sub-inspector to judicial custody in a bribery case linked to a Rs 45,000-crore Ponzi scam involving Pearls Group founder Nirmal Singh Bhangoo.
Special Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna sent Delhi Police sub-inspector Rajesh Yadav to jail after he was produced by the CBI before the court on expiry of his two days’ custodial interrogation.
Yadav, posted at Barakhamba police station, was arrested by the CBI on Monday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 4.5 lakh from an employee of Bhangoo for not implicating his daughter and son-in-law in the Ponzi scam case.
The CBI had told the court that Yadav was allegedly receiving the bribe on the instructions of sub-inspector Varun Chichi, posted at the same police station.
Chichi is currently absconding, the agency told the court.
In a complaint to the CBI, Bhangoo’s employee alleged that Chichi demanded Rs 25 lakh from him for not arresting and implicating the jailed Pearls Group founder’s daughter and son-in-law in the case against him.
The alleged demand was made 10-12 days ago when the complainant had gone to
Barakhamba police station to give medicines to Bhangoo, who was brought there from Tihar jail, the CBI claimed.
“It was also alleged that the said sub-inspector agreed to accept a part payment of Rs 5 lakh from the complainant,” the CBI said.
On the day of the “illicit transaction”, the CBI laid a trap and caught Yadav receiving Rs 4.5 lakh from the complainant “on the directions” of Chichi.
The CBI said it also conducted searches at the premises of both sub-inspectors.
Bhangoo and three others were arrested by the CBI in January 2016 in connection with alleged swindling of Rs 45,000 crore from over five crore investors who were lured with attractive land deals.
