CBI arrests IPS officer over Rs 3 crore bribe linked to fake drug racket probe
The CBI has arrested IPS officer Deepak Gahlawat for allegedly accepting a Rs 3 crore bribe to influence a fake drug manufacturing case probe.
The CBI has arrested IPS officer Deepak Gahlawat in connection with an alleged Rs 3 crore bribery case linked to its probe into a fake drug manufacturing racket, officials said. Gahlawat was posted as a regional director in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security at the time of the alleged offence.
Officials said Gahlawat is accused of assuring a Puducherry-based businessman of a favourable outcome in the CBI investigation by using his purported influence over agency officials in return for the bribe.
The case has emerged from a CBI trap operation in June, in which Delhi Police Crime Branch Inspector Pradeep Singh and an alleged middleman, Rajkumar, were arrested.
The agency had registered an FIR against Singh, Rajkumar and businessman N Raja.
According to officials, Raja was facing a CBI investigation in an alleged fake drug manufacturing case registered earlier this year and got in touch with Singh, who allegedly assured him that he would be able to influence the probe.
Officials said Singh then arranged a meeting with a senior public servant in the civil aviation sector. During the meeting, the public servant allegedly promised Raja "a favourable investigation" by using his personal influence over CBI officials and allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 3 crore, with Rs 1.5 crore to be paid upfront.
The businessman arranged Rs 1 crore through a hawala transaction, which was allegedly paid to Singh. Officials said Singh then handed over Rs 50 lakh to another middleman, Prabhat, who was known to the suspect public servant.
"Accused Pradeep Kumar Singh kept the remaining Rs 25 lakh in his office. Thereafter, on June 8, 2026, accused Rajkumar and Pradeep Kumar Singh were apprehended," an official said.
With Gahlawat now under arrest, the case centres on allegations that a businessman under investigation in a fake drug manufacturing case was promised a favourable CBI probe in exchange for a Rs 3 crore bribe, following the earlier arrests of Singh and Rajkumar.
The CBI has arrested IPS officer Deepak Gahlawat in connection with an alleged Rs 3 crore bribery case linked to its probe into a fake drug manufacturing racket, officials said. Gahlawat was posted as a regional director in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security at the time of the alleged offence.
Officials said Gahlawat is accused of assuring a Puducherry-based businessman of a favourable outcome in the CBI investigation by using his purported influence over agency officials in return for the bribe.
The case has emerged from a CBI trap operation in June, in which Delhi Police Crime Branch Inspector Pradeep Singh and an alleged middleman, Rajkumar, were arrested.
The agency had registered an FIR against Singh, Rajkumar and businessman N Raja.
According to officials, Raja was facing a CBI investigation in an alleged fake drug manufacturing case registered earlier this year and got in touch with Singh, who allegedly assured him that he would be able to influence the probe.
Officials said Singh then arranged a meeting with a senior public servant in the civil aviation sector. During the meeting, the public servant allegedly promised Raja "a favourable investigation" by using his personal influence over CBI officials and allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 3 crore, with Rs 1.5 crore to be paid upfront.
The businessman arranged Rs 1 crore through a hawala transaction, which was allegedly paid to Singh. Officials said Singh then handed over Rs 50 lakh to another middleman, Prabhat, who was known to the suspect public servant.
"Accused Pradeep Kumar Singh kept the remaining Rs 25 lakh in his office. Thereafter, on June 8, 2026, accused Rajkumar and Pradeep Kumar Singh were apprehended," an official said.
With Gahlawat now under arrest, the case centres on allegations that a businessman under investigation in a fake drug manufacturing case was promised a favourable CBI probe in exchange for a Rs 3 crore bribe, following the earlier arrests of Singh and Rajkumar.
