Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested three individuals, including two private middlemen and an associate, in connection with a ₹20 lakh bribery case involving the Punjab Vigilance Bureau. The arrests follow a complaint alleging that the accused, Vikas Goyal and his son Raghav Goyal, demanded illegal gratification to secure the closure of a complaint pending in the office of the Director General of Vigilance in Punjab. The agency reported that the intermediaries were using their purported influence with senior officials to settle the complainant’s legal matters in exchange for the illicit payment.
Investigators have identified OP Rana, the Reader to the Director General of Police (Vigilance) in Punjab, as a central figure who reportedly assured the complainant that the case would be closed once the bribe was paid. The CBI launched a coordinated operation that led to the apprehension of Raghav Goyal, Vikas Goyal, and two accompanying gunmen near Ambala at the Punjab-Haryana border. While the middlemen were taken into custody following the interception, OP Rana managed to flee the scene and is currently classified as absconding.
Federal authorities are conducting a series of raids and utilizing technical surveillance to track down Rana, whose role is considered pivotal to the ongoing corruption inquiry. The agency is also investigating the wider implications of the case, looking into whether other senior officials within the Punjab Vigilance Bureau were part of this illegal network. The involvement of armed gunmen with the private accused has further intensified the scrutiny surrounding the operation and the extent of the suspects’ influence within state law enforcement circles.
The three arrested suspects are being processed for their initial court appearances in Chandigarh as the investigation into the criminal conspiracy continues. The CBI has stated that it will provide all necessary materials and records to the court to ensure a comprehensive prosecution. This case has sent ripples through the state’s administrative framework, highlighting the challenges of maintaining transparency within the very agencies tasked with fighting corruption.
