A nationalised bank official in Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol district was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹10,000 for approving banking kiosks, officials said.
The accused, identified as Abhyankar Sharma, was serving as an assistant manager at the regional office of the bank in Shahdol. The arrest followed a complaint alleging that he had demanded money in exchange for clearing a proposal related to the opening of banking kiosks in the district.
Registration Begins for FutureCrime Summit 2026, India’s Largest Cybercrime Conference
Complaint Triggered CBI Action
According to CBI officials, the complaint was filed by Devendra Singh, a resident of Shahdol, who had applied for permission to open four banking kiosks in the district.
During the approval process, Sharma allegedly demanded ₹10,000 to clear the proposal and issue the necessary permissions. Unable to meet the repeated demand for a bribe, the complainant approached the CBI’s Jabalpur unit and submitted a formal complaint to the Superintendent of Police.
Trap Laid Near Bank Premises
After verifying the allegations, the CBI organised a trap operation on Thursday. According to officials, the complainant handed over the alleged bribe amount to the accused near a gurdwara located outside the bank premises.
A surveillance team monitoring the operation immediately moved in and apprehended Sharma after he accepted the money. Officials said the bribe amount was recovered during the operation.
The accused was subsequently taken into custody and questioned by investigators.
Searches Conducted as Probe Continues
CBI officials registered a case against the accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Sources said Sharma is a native of Gwalior. As part of the ongoing investigation, the agency also carried out searches at his residence in Gwalior.
Officials said further investigation into the matter is underway.
