CHANDIGARH, MAY 12 — The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested three individuals on Monday in connection with a ₹20-lakh bribery case allegedly involving officials from the Punjab Vigilance Bureau. The arrests followed a dramatic pursuit across state lines after the suspects attempted to flee the scene of a sting operation in Chandigarh.
According to the CBI, the case originated from a complaint filed by a Punjab State Tax Officer who alleged that two private middlemen, Vikas Goyal and his son Raghav Goyal, demanded ₹20 lakh to settle a pending vigilance matter. Investigators stated that the duo was acting on behalf of O.P. Rana, a reader to the Director General of Vigilance, who had reportedly assured the complainant of a favorable outcome upon payment of the bribe.
The agency noted that the bribe amount was later negotiated down to ₹13 lakh in cash, supplemented by a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 mobile phone intended for Rana. During a trap operation on May 11, CBI officials apprehended Ankit Wadhwa, an associate of the Goyals, as he accepted the illegal gratification. Both the cash and the premium handset were recovered at the spot.
“The accused persons ran away after being alerted by their gunmen stationed there to keep a watch,” a CBI spokesperson stated. After a “hot pursuit,” the team intercepted Vikas and Raghav Goyal, along with two armed gunmen, near Ambala at the Punjab-Haryana border. While the middlemen and their associates are in custody, O.P. Rana remains at large. The CBI affirmed that searches at the residences of the accused led to the recovery of an additional ₹9 lakh in cash and sensitive vigilance documents.
