Bhubaneswar: Chintan Raghuvanshi, a Deputy Director with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Odisha, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today in connection with an alleged bribery case sent to jail.
Shri Raghuvanshi, a 2013-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, was reportedly caught red-handed accepting a bribe of ₹20 lakh from a Bhubaneswar-based mining entrepreneur.
The arrest followed a trap operation laid by the CBI based on credible intelligence inputs. According to sources, the bribe was allegedly part of a larger deal to influence the closure of an ongoing money laundering investigation against the businessman. Initial reports suggest the total demanded amount was ₹50 lakh, with the ₹20 lakh being the first installment.
Shri Raghuvanshi was subjected to a marathon 12-hour interrogation before being formally arrested. He was subsequently taken for a mandatory medical examination at Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar.
The CBI launched its operation after the businessman, Ratikanta Rout, lodged a complaint alleging that Shri Raghuvanshi had demanded a substantial sum to provide “relief” in a case registered by the ED.
Shri Rout claimed he was summoned for questioning at the ED office in March this year, where Shri Raghuvanshi allegedly directed him to meet a private individual to settle the matter.
The arrest of a high-ranking official from the Enforcement Directorate, an agency tasked with investigating financial crimes, has sent shockwaves through the investigative community and raised questions about internal accountability within premier institutions.
Further investigations are underway to determine the full extent of the alleged corruption and if any other individuals are involved.