The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Haryana cadre IPS officer Deepak Gahlawat in connection with an alleged bribery case linked to the investigation into a counterfeit drugs case in Puducherry, official sources said on Wednesday.
According to the sources, Gahlawat, who was serving as Regional Director in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) at the time of the alleged offence, is accused of assuring a Puducherry-based businessman that he could influence the outcome of a CBI investigation through his purported contacts within the agency in exchange for a bribe.
The arrest follows a CBI trap operation conducted in June, during which Delhi Police Crime Branch Inspector Pradeep Singh and an alleged middleman, identified as Rajkumar, were apprehended. The agency subsequently registered an FIR against Singh, Rajkumar and Puducherry-based businessman N. Raja in connection with the case.
Investigators suspect that the accused had allegedly conspired to influence the ongoing CBI probe into the counterfeit drugs case in return for illegal gratification. The agency is examining the alleged roles of all those named in the FIR and their suspected links with the businessman.
Sources said Gahlawat’s arrest comes a day after the CBI arrested Haryana cadre IAS officer Pradeep Kumar Dagar in a separate case involving the alleged diversion of government funds. While the two cases are unrelated, the back-to-back arrests of senior Haryana cadre officers have drawn attention.
The CBI is continuing its investigation to establish the alleged conspiracy, trace the money trail, and determine whether any other public officials or intermediaries were involved in the purported attempt to influence the investigation.