Former Delhi police chief, ex-CBI inspector booked in 25-yr-old case

An FIR was registered against former Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar and ex-CBI Inspector Vinod Kumar Pandey in connection with a case dating back around 25 years, involving allegations of fabrication of documents and criminal intimidation, sources said.

The charges include alleged abuse of authority, evidence tampering and intimidation during CBI probes conducted on businessman Vijay Kumar Aggarwal and his associates, they said.

This came after the Supreme Court ordered registration of an FIR against both officials on September 10.

Ordering the investigation to be conducted by a Delhi Police officer not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police, the Bench directed Kumar and Pandey to join the investigation and cooperate with the Investigating Officer (IO) by appearing before him, as and when called upon.

The alleged fabrication of documents and criminal intimidation relates to an incident in 2000 when Kumar was posted as a joint director in the CBI.

A Division Bench of the Delhi High Court on March 13, 2019, dismissed their appeals against a 2006 order of a single-judge Bench for registration of an FIR against Kumar and Pandey. The top court upheld the High Court’s order.

Two individuals - Sheesh Ram Saini and Vijay Kumar Aggarwal - filed separate complaints before the police on July 5, 2001, and February 23, 2004, respectively, seeking investigation, but no action was taken.

While Saini alleged fabrication of documents by Kumar and Pandey, Aggarwal alleged being criminally intimidated by Pandey at Kumar’s instance. Aggarwal at the time was being investigated by the CBI in a disproportionate assets case along with his brother former ED official Ashok Aggarwal.