The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested two Enforcement Directorate officials in Gujarat for allegedly demanding ₹75 lakh in bribe from the director of a private company that is facing a money laundering probe.
“The accused have been identified as Deputy Director Purna Kam Singh (an Indian Revenue Service official) and Assistant Director Bhuvnesh Kumar of the ED,” said an agency official. The two accused received the first instalment of ₹5 lakh through a middleman.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the complaint was lodged by Paresh H. Patel, director of H.M. Industrial Private Limited. The company and its directors are facing a CBI probe for allegedly cheating the Bank of Baroda of about ₹104 crore.
Based on the CBI case, the ED’s Ahmedabad unit is also carrying out a probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, in connection with which Mr. Patel and his sons were summoned to the office of Mr. Singh in Ahmedabad on April 22 and May 25. Mr. Kumar assisted the Deputy Director in recording the statements on both the days.
On June 18, as instructed, Mr. Patel and his son Hardik again went to Mr. Singh's office. The complainant alleged that he and his son were beaten up by the official, who also threatened to attach their properties. Mr. Singh then allegedly demanded ₹75 lakh in the presence of Mr. Kumar to settle the case and also for not torturing him physically.
The complainant was also told to talk about the bribe amount in a coded language, referring to ₹1 lakh as “one kg”.
On June 26, Mr. Patel was directed by Mr. Kumar on a Whatsapp call to pay the first instalment of ₹5 lakh through an “angadia” firm in Delhi. The amount was to be collected by a middleman, the FIR states.
