CBI FIR mentions Punjab Vigilance chief Sharad Satya Chauhan in Rs 13 lakh corruption probe

The FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a corruption case against the reader to the Vigilance Bureau chief and three others mentions the name of Punjab DGP (Vigilance) Sharad Satya Chauhan, potentially adding to the top cop’s troubles in the coming days.

While Chauhan has not been named as an accused in the FIR, his name figures in the contents of the case registered by the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Bureau.

According to the agency’s verification report dated May 11, prepared after the FIR was registered on May 8, “accused Raghav Goyal and Vikas Goyal had allegedly demanded Rs 13 lakh from the complainant on behalf of public servants, namely OP Rana, Reader to DG (Vigilance), Punjab, and DG (Vigilance), Punjab, for facilitating closure of the complaint pending against complainant Amit Kumar in the office of DG (Vigilance), Punjab.”

The FIR further states: “A written complaint was received from State Tax Officer Amit Kumar, a resident of Abohar, on May 8, alleging that Raghav Goyal and his father Vikas Goyal, private contractors, were acting as intermediaries on behalf of Sharad Satya Chauhan, DG (Vigilance), Punjab, and his reader OP Rana, and had demanded illegal gratification for securing closure/disposal of a complaint allegedly pending against him in the said office.”

The suspected offences under investigation include criminal conspiracy, demand of undue advantage by a public servant, and obtaining undue advantage to influence a public servant through corrupt or illegal means or by exercise of personal influence.

The accused named in the FIR registered at the CBI Anti-Corruption Bureau police station in Chandigarh on May 11 are OP Rana, reader to the DGP (Vigilance); Vikas Goyal and his son Raghav Goyal, residents of Malout; along with unknown public and private persons.