CBI arrests I&B ministry finance official over alleged Rs 10 lakh bribe

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Deputy Controller of Accounts serving as an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in New Delhi for allegedly accepting a Rs 10 lakh bribe through his wife, the agency said on Wednesday.

The case was registered on 18 August following a complaint that the officer had allegedly demanded Rs 15 lakh from a private company to expedite the processing of its contract renewal file pending before him.

According to the CBI, the alleged bribe demand was subsequently negotiated, after which the officer agreed to accept Rs 10 lakh to move the file forward.

Acting on the complaint, the agency laid a trap on 18 August. The officer was allegedly caught while the bribe was being handed over through his wife.

The accused is a deputy controller of accounts belonging to the 2020 batch of the Indian Civil Accounts Service and was posted as an IFA in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The CBI has not disclosed the names of either the officer or his wife.

Further investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances of the alleged transaction and determine whether others were involved.

Series of recent CBI bribery arrests

The arrest comes amid a string of recent cases in which the CBI has taken action against government officials accused of demanding or accepting illegal gratification.

On 24 July, the agency arrested Tridib Banerjee, a senior executive at the IRCTC West Zone office in Mumbai, along with private company director Amar Thakkar, in an alleged bribery case.

The CBI alleged that Banerjee received Rs 1.98 lakh and Rs 2 lakh in separate transactions to facilitate the clearance of pending bills.

Earlier, in April, the agency arrested a GST Superintendent and an Inspector in Ranipet, Tamil Nadu, following a trap operation over an alleged Rs 15,000 bribe linked to the clearance of a GST registration.

In February 2026, the CBI arrested a Branch Manager and Field Officer of UP Gramin Bank, along with a private individual, for allegedly demanding and accepting Rs 45,000 in connection with the sanctioning of a Rs 5 lakh loan.

The agency has said its continuing action against allegedly corrupt public servants reflects its commitment to combating corruption. It has also urged members of the public to report demands for bribes by government officials.

The latest case is now under investigation, with the CBI examining the alleged bribe demand, the role of the accused officer and the involvement of his wife in the transaction.

With IANS inputs