OP Rana, Reader to the Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab Vigilance Bureau, surrendered in a Chandigarh CBI court on Monday. The court granted the CBI seven-day custody of the accused.
Rana is named in an FIR registered by the CBI on a complaint filed by Amit Kumar, a State Tax Officer posted at Malout.
According to the CBI, a disproportionate assets (DA) case against Amit Kumar was pending with the Punjab Vigilance Bureau. The agency alleged that accused Vikas Goyal and Raghav Goyal facilitated a meeting between the complainant and Rana at his office on April 29.
The CBI alleged that Rana demanded Rs 20 lakh for “sahib” and a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 mobile phone for himself in return for settling the matter. The agency claimed that the two co-accused acted as intermediaries and used their influence to assure the complainant that the case could be resolved.
The agency further alleged that Rana assured the complainant that the Vigilance complaint would be closed once the bribe amount was paid. During a trap operation, the CBI arrested the other accused with Rs 13 lakh and a mobile phone, while Rana escaped from the spot.
He surrendered only after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the CBI court and he also failed to secure relief from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
In his surrender application filed through advocate Sumesh Jain, Rana claimed that he had been falsely implicated. He denied demanding any bribe and alleged the CBI had fabricated a one-sided story. He also contended that he was not in a position to decide cases registered by the Vigilance Bureau.
Seeking custodial interrogation, Public Prosecutor Narender Singh told the court that Rana’s custody was necessary to confront him with co-accused, recover electronic devices and digital evidence, identify other beneficiaries and verify the alleged misuse of confidential Vigilance information.
The CBI further claimed that WhatsApp chats recovered from Raghav Goyal’s phone suggested Rana’s active involvement in the case. According to the agency, the chats showed regular communication between the two. The agency alleged that photographs of the mobile phone purchased by the complainant were forwarded to Rana and discussions were held regarding its colour. Investigators also claimed that Raghav Goyal shared the complaint against Amit Kumar with Rana through WhatsApp, indicating his knowledge of and participation in the alleged offence.
