CBI arrests Delhi caterer in bribery case, its own officers also under lens

NEW DELHI: The CBI has arrested a caterer in Delhi’s Chanakyapuri for allegedly attempting to dilute a corruption case, being probed by the agency, to help the accused in return for a bribe of Rs 35 lakh, officials said, adding that searches were conducted at multiple locations on Wednesday.

The role of some CBI officers is also under the scanner of the agency, they said.

Rakesh Tiwari, who runs a catering service in the upmarket Nehru Park in the Chanakyapuri area, was arrested when he was allegedly receiving Rs 15 lakh as the second installment of the total bribe from a hawala dealer from Old Delhi, they said.

During searches, the agency has recovered Rs 2.5 crore of cash from his premises, they said.

It is alleged that the CBI, while probing a corruption case against Vivek Batra, an IRS officer, had called for questioning the owner Neeraj Raja Kochar and employees of a company, Viraj Profiles, in which he is understood to have invested his ill-gotten wealth, they said.

Tiwari was in touch with Kochar for facilitating “relief ” and providing case-related “sensitive information” to him, they said.

The agency has alleged that Tiwari accepted huge illegal gratification from Kochar to induce and influence CBI officers using his personal connections, they said.

The alleged bribe of Rs 20 lakh was given to Tiwari by Kochar through a “hawala” operator in Chandni Chowk, Kamal Ahmed, on August 2, they said.

When he was allegedly receiving Rs 15 lakh as the second installment of the bribe, he was arrested by the CBI.

“Information has further revealed Rakesh Tiwari is also in contact with officers working in AC-III branch of the CBI,” the FIR alleged.