In a landmark decision that highlights systemic corruption within major investigating agencies, the Delhi High Court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take three of its own officials into custody. This unusual case exposes corruption not only within the CBI but also in the Enforcement Directorate (ED), shaking the foundations of India’s executive and investigative machinery.
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna described the case as one of the “unique cases of rampant corruption” that undermines the integrity of the agencies responsible for upholding the law and prosecuting criminal activities. The court’s decision came in response to a CBI appeal against a lower court’s decision that had earlier denied custody of the accused officials.
The implicated officials are accused of demanding a Rs 50 lakh bribe to settle two cases, which they later reduced to Rs 35 lakh. The demand for bribes allegedly involved promises to manipulate investigations and interfere in the functioning of the departments, reflecting a larger conspiracy among various department officials to exploit their positions for undue advantages.
“It is evidently crucial, especially in scenarios such as this, which aim to uncover larger conspiracies, that custodial interrogation at the initial stages of investigation is indispensable to unearth material facts,” Justice Krishna stated in her order.
Granting the CBI a two-day custodial remand of the officials, the court emphasized the serious nature and the potential ramifications of the allegations. This case not only questions the ethical conduct of the officials involved but also casts a shadow on the credibility of the institutions trusted with the most sensitive investigations in the nation.
