A Delhi court has ordered the framing of charges against two CBI officials in a corruption case
A Delhi court indicted two CBI officials for corruption. File | Photo credit: The Hindu
A Delhi court ordered corruption and conspiracy charges against two Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), for allegedly compromising the integrity of investigations in certain cases for “extraordinary financial consideration”.
Special Judge Atul Krishna Agrawal on Saturday (May 23, 2026) also discharged the CBI inspector and the private company, saying there was insufficient evidence against them and that the charges against the inspector bordered on suspicion rather than serious suspicion.
According to the CBI, DSP RK Rishi, Inspector Kapil Dhanked and Selection Grade-II (SG II) officer Samir Kumar Singh in a conspiracy with two private individuals and some others “compromised the integrity of the investigation of certain cases for an extraordinary financial reward”.
The agency has charged Mr Rishi, Mr Dhanked, Mr Singh and Mr Frost International Ltd under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act.
The court said, “At the outset, it is pertinent to mention that though one of the main allegations made by the CBI in this case is that accused 1 (Rishi) received bribe amount from various persons and distributed it between accused 2 (Mr. Dhanked) and accused 3 (Singh) for obtaining illegal favors from these persons, there is no witness to that effect.” No such money was recovered from any of the accused persons; therefore, the prosecution’s case to this extent is quite weak, he said.
The court also dismissed the witness statements of Mr. Dhanked and Mr. Singh as having no probative value.
On the charges against Mr. Singh, the court said that he assisted the DSP in his illegal acts by providing him with vital and confidential information about matters pending investigation with the CBI and the official in turn received money or illegal gratification. Some of the companies whose information Singh Rishi provided included Frost International Ltd.
The court noted that Mr Singh’s bank account showed cash deposits of over ₹4,000 in a short period in April 2019 and further deposits of around ₹1.5 lakh in November 2019.
“Therefore, it is incumbent upon the accused three to explain the source of the cash he received and deposited as government employees are not always allowed to make cash transactions above ₹20,000 or make cash deposits and the said practice is not recommended.
“These are serious allegations and cannot be set aside at the stage of charge. Therefore, in my considered opinion, there is sufficient material on record to charge accused 3 with offenses punishable under Sections 120 B IPC (criminal conspiracy) read with Section 381 (theft by officer or servant of property held by master)…,” the judge said.
The court also ordered the drafting of an indictment against Mr\. Singh under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He pointed out that Mr. Singh, a civil servant, illegally obtained some documents without the information or knowledge of the head of the concerned department, which amounted to “theft of information”.
It also ordered similar charges against Mr. Rishi.
The court released Mr. Dhanked saying that there was no financial trail and that the case against him “fell in the area bordering on suspicion but not serious suspicion to frame charges”.
It also dismissed Frost International Ltd. stating that the allegations against her are only based on some assumptions and conjectures as well as the alleged confession of Mr. Dhankeda which is not admissible in law.
Published – 24 May 2026 11:42 IST