SHIMLA, Jan 1: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered two First Information Reports (FIRs) against officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), including an Assistant Director and senior officers posted in Shimla, for allegedly demanding and accepting bribes.
The bribery allegations are linked to the ongoing investigation of the 181 crore scholarship scam in Himachal Pradesh.
According to CBI sources, the first FIR pertains to a bribe demand of 85 lakh, while the second involves 80 lakh. Both cases reportedly involve ED officers demanding money from educational institution promoters who are under investigation for financial irregularities under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The primary accused, ED Assistant Director Vishaldeep Singh, allegedly summoned the complainants to his Shimla office, tortured them, and coerced them into paying hefty bribes. The accused officers also involved middlemen, including Vishaldeep’s brother, a senior manager at Punjab National Bank in Delhi, who allegedly helped facilitate the transactions.
The CBI, based on complaints from the educational institution promoters, planned a trap operation near Chandigarh. The complainants were instructed to pay 55 lakh in cash to the accused officer while CBI operatives monitored the transaction. However, Vishaldeep Singh, reportedly alerted to the trap, escaped during the operation. His brother and a middleman were arrested, and 55 lakh in marked currency notes were recovered.
The bribery allegations have a direct connection to the 181 crore post-matriculation scholarship scam. Between 2013 and 2017, funds intended for SC, ST, and OBC students were allegedly misappropriated by private educational institutions. The CBI, which began investigating the scam in 2019, found evidence linking ED officials to attempts to cover up the scam in exchange for bribes.
The scope of the investigation has now widened, with the second FIR reportedly addressing the alleged quid pro quo arrangement involving ED officers to shield the accused institutions.
Following the scandal, the ED has transferred the accused Assistant Director and two supervisory officers-a Deputy Director and a Joint Director-to Delhi. However, the CBI has yet to apprehend Vishaldeep Singh, who remains absconding. Attempts to locate him are ongoing.
During a press conference in Shimla, the complainants accused the ED officers of harassment, mental torture, and coercion. They revealed how they were summoned repeatedly, threatened with arrests, and forced to arrange large sums of money. One of the complainants even considered suicide, underscoring the extent of the alleged abuse.
The CBI has recovered substantial evidence, including 55 lakh in graft money and other documents implicating the accused. The agency is also probing the involvement of additional ED officials and their associates.
The allegations of corruption within the ED’s Shimla office have raised serious concerns about the integrity of enforcement agencies tasked with combating financial crimes. With the CBI expanding its investigation, the scandal is likely to have far-reaching implications, not only for the accused but also for the credibility of institutions meant to uphold justice. As the search for Vishaldeep Singh continues, all eyes are on the CBI to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice and the victims receive the redress they deserve.
(UNI)
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