CBI arrests senior judge, husband in bribery case

Syed Ali Ahmed

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 29

The CBI has arrested a senior judge of Tis Hazari court and her husband here while allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 4 lakh from a lawyer, who was appointed as local commissioner in a case adjudicated by her.

Rachna Tiwari Lakhanpal, Senior Civil Judge, Tis Hazari court, was arrested last night while allegedly accepting Rs 4-lakh bribe from advocate Vishal Mehan, who has also been arrested, at her residence in Gulabi Bagh. Rachna’s husband Alok Lakhanpal has also been arrested in the case.

The accused were produced before a court in Tis Hazari, which remanded Rachna in judicial custody, while Alok and Vishal in two-day police custody.

The CBI said the agency registered a complaint under sections 7 and 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act against the advocate on a complaint alleging that in a matter of property dispute, an advocate was appointed as a local commissioner by Justice Rachna Tiwari. The case was being heard by the same judge.

She had appointed the advocate as local commissioner for conducting an inspection of the disputed property and submitting his report.

According to the CBI, the advocate (appointed as local commissioner) allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 2 lakh for himself and Rs 20 lakh for the senior Civil Judge for deciding the matter in the favour of the complainant.

After due verification of the complaint, the CBI laid a trap and the accused advocate acting as local commissioner was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting Rs 5 Lakh as bribe on behalf of the Judge, it said.

The advocate admitted that the bribe amount was meant to be handed over to the judge. Subsequently, the bribe money was delivered by the advocate to the judge at her residence, out of which she kept Rs 4 lakh and gave Rs 1 lakh to the advocate.

The alleged bribe money of Rs 5 lakh was recovered by the CBI. During investigation, the involvement of the husband of the judge was also found and he was also arrested.

Searches conducted at the premises of the judge led to the recovery of Rs 94 lakh in cash, two locker keys and other incriminating material and documents, the CBI said.