New Delhi — India’s premier investigative agency has initiated proceedings against a police officer accused of demanding a substantial bribe to influence the outcome of a complaint, according to officials familiar with the case.
The Central Bureau of Investigation registered a case on March 10 against Inspector Deepak Phalswal following allegations that he sought ₹2 crore from a private individual in exchange for not acting on a complaint purportedly filed with the agency.
The complaint was lodged by Shubham Mishra, who alleged that a man identifying himself as Inspector Phalswal visited his residence in Mahabali Puram in Delhi’s Bhati Kalan area on January 22.
According to Mishra, the officer demanded the payment as a means of “settling” the complaint said to be pending with the investigative agency. The allegations later formed the basis of a formal case after the South District Police forwarded Mishra’s complaint from the Maidan Garhi Police Station to federal authorities.
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Court Proceedings and Bail Hearing
Following the registration of the case, Inspector Phalswal was arrested by the agency’s Anti-Corruption Branch and presented before the court of Special Judge Jyoti Kler at the Rouse Avenue Courts. The officer had been in police custody for two days before being produced in court on Friday.
During the hearing, the accused moved a bail application, while prosecutors sought judicial custody. Lawyers representing the officer opposed the request, leading the court to schedule further arguments and post the matter for a hearing on the bail plea.
The proceedings unfolded as investigators continued examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged bribe demand and the complaint that triggered the case.
Separate Arrest in Police Corruption Case
In a related development, investigators also arrested a head constable from Delhi’s Sultanpuri Police Station on allegations of accepting a bribe following a police raid. According to sources familiar with the investigation, the officer was apprehended after allegedly demanding ₹20,000.
Two additional police personnel are currently being questioned as authorities attempt to determine whether others may have been involved in the incident.
The arrests form part of ongoing efforts by the agency’s anti-corruption wing to examine complaints involving law enforcement officials suspected of misusing their authority for financial gain.
Arrest of a Proclaimed Offender in Long-Running Bank Fraud Case
Separately, the investigative agency announced the arrest of Harpal Singh Ahuja, who had been declared a proclaimed offender in connection with a bank fraud case dating back more than two decades. According to investigators, Ahuja had evaded law enforcement for approximately 11 years, frequently moving between Mumbai and Faridabad to avoid detection.
After what officials described as sustained investigative efforts, the accused was traced in Mumbai and arrested on March 12 in the Kalyan area. He was subsequently produced before the Special Judge of the CBI Court in Ghaziabad, where the court remanded him to judicial custody.
Authorities said the arrest marked a significant step in the long-running investigation, which had remained unresolved while the accused remained absconding.
