The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested Charan Pratap Singh, the deputy registrar of the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), along with his associate Karsan Ganesh Ahir, for allegedly accepting a ₹3 lakh bribe to manipulate court proceedings in favor of a hotelier involved in a family property dispute. The arrests followed a sting operation carried out at a Colaba restaurant, during which Ahir was caught red-handed accepting the bribe.
Officials revealed that Singh’s role as deputy registrar placed him in a strategic position within the NCLT’s administrative machinery—responsible for case listings and document vetting—making his influence critical in ongoing legal proceedings. This case not only spotlights an individual accused of malfeasance but also highlights a pattern of alleged irregularities in NCLT functioning that the CBI claims to have previously encountered.
The Trap at Colaba: How the Sting Was Executed
The complainant, a Mumbai-based hotel owner embroiled in a prolonged legal battle with his brothers over property and financial disputes, had filed a complaint with the CBI earlier this month. According to officials, Singh had allegedly demanded ₹3.5 lakh on May 11, promising to use his “connections” within the NCLT to influence the pending case that had been languishing since November 2020.
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After negotiations, the amount was reduced to ₹3 lakh. Of this, ₹1 lakh was to be paid in cash and ₹2 lakh in marked dummy notes—arranged by the CBI to catch the perpetrators. Ahir, acting on Singh’s behalf, arrived at the Colaba restaurant on Wednesday evening to collect the money. Surveillance teams were in position, and Ahir was detained the moment the exchange occurred. Singh was picked up from a nearby residence soon after, and both were formally arrested at 4 a.m. Thursday.
Behind Closed Doors: Influence Over the Judicial Machinery
Singh’s position in the registry department allowed him direct control over procedural workflows—listing of matters, issuing notices, and accepting filings. According to CBI officials, he leveraged this authority to offer “unofficial shortcuts” in exchange for financial benefits.
Court submissions by the CBI included audio recordings of Singh’s conversations with the complainant, wherein he allegedly implied he could secure a favorable outcome. These communications, officials said, were “persuasive enough” to suggest abuse of official capacity and possibly the involvement of other insiders.
The CBI has now sought Singh’s custodial interrogation to uncover deeper links and to analyze whether this case is part of a larger nexus involving more officials at the tribunal. A request to obtain Singh’s voice sample has also been placed before the special court.
Judicial Integrity in Question: Broader Implications for NCLT
The incident adds to a growing list of concerns over transparency in India’s tribunal system. The NCLT, which deals with critical corporate matters including insolvency, mergers, and shareholder disputes, plays a pivotal role in the country’s business ecosystem. Any compromise in its operations due to corruption can significantly dent investor confidence and undermine the rule of law in commercial disputes.
Legal experts have called for enhanced vigilance and independent oversight mechanisms for the NCLT registry, especially given its quasi-judicial status. “While the courtrooms remain under judicial scrutiny, the administrative side often lacks transparency. This incident should be a wake-up call,” said a retired NCLT member on condition of anonymity.
The CBI’s operation, although focused on an individual case, may trigger a wider clean-up effort. With searches also conducted in Lucknow and Mumbai, investigators believe more evidence may surface pointing toward systemic gaps and the misuse of administrative authority within the tribunal system.
