Corruption
Three Customs and Excise Officials Convicted in Rs 10 Lakh Bribery Case by CBI Court
Panchkula – The Special CBI Court in Haryana has convicted three officials from the Customs and Central Excise Department in a bribery case. The verdict was delivered by Special CBI Judge Rajiv Goyal on Wednesday in the presence of the accused—Anil Kumar and Ajay Kumar (former Superintendents) and Ravinder Singh Dahiya (Inspector)—who were posted in the audit department of Customs and Central Excise, Sonipat.
Bribery Demand and CBI Trap
The case originated when the accused allegedly demanded a Rs 10 lakh bribe from Deepak Jain, owner of Precision Component Pvt Ltd, Rai industrial area, Sonipat, to settle a financial dispute. Jain, who was facing a Rs 30 lakh penalty for evasion due to double billing, reported the matter to the CBI, leading to a trap.
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The officials later negotiated to reduce the bribe amount and agreed to take payments in two installments. Additionally, Anil Kumar demanded an expensive mobile phone as part of the deal. During the sting operation, the bribe money was recovered from the car of the accused, leading to their arrest and subsequent trial.
Trial and Conviction Despite Complainant Turning Hostile
The CBI filed a chargesheet against the accused in July 2017. However, during the trial, complainant Deepak Jain turned hostile, giving a statement in favor of the accused. Despite this, the court relied on documentary and circumstantial evidence to convict the officials. Senior CBI Prosecutor Harsh Mohan Singh stated that the court appreciated the evidence and the prosecution’s arguments. The quantum of sentence for the convicted officials will be announced on February 3.
