CBI books 3 NCB officials for extortion from Rajasthan marble trader, settles dispute with police

New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) In an opium recovery case which had pitted Rajasthan Police against the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the CBI has registered an FIR against three officials of the NCB for alleged wrongful confinement, criminal conspiracy and demand of undue advantage by public servant, an official said on Tuesday.

The Jodhpur unit of the CBI registered the FIR on Monday, naming NCB sleuths - Khiya Ram, Bhagwan Sahay Meena and Bhagirath Jat.

The FIR follows a CBI preliminary enquiry into the peculiar case that saw officials of the NCB and Rajasthan Police accusing each other of extortion, blackmail and corruption following the seizure of 5 kg opium in 2022, the official said on Tuesday.

The CBI had conducted the preliminary inquiry on the direction of the Rajasthan High Court to adjudicate in the matter in which both the investigative agencies were at loggerheads, embroiled in a direct conflict, each striving to attribute criminal culpability concerning the contraband in question.

At the centre of the controversy was the seizure of opium in 2022, allegedly involving a contractor, Kuldeep Panwar and his brother, who is in the marble and granite business, and his allegation that the NCB officials tried to extort Rs 30 lakh from them by threatening to implicate them. On his complaint that NCB sleuths took Rs 5 lakh bribe from him, an FIR was registered by the state police in June 2022 at Chupasni Housing Board police station.

On the other hand, the NCB accused the state police of involvement in the illegal drug trade and trying to bail out the real culprit, Sumer Singh, who was being tracked by the Bureau due to his alleged plan to deliver 8-10 kg of opium in Jodhpur.

In the FIR registered by CBI on Monday, it said, “In compliance with the HC orders on July 26, 2024, a preliminary enquiry No. PE0312024A0002 was registered, and an enquiry was taken up. Based on the outcome of the enquiry, criminality U/s 120-B r/w 342, 384 of IPC and section 7 of PC Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) on the part of NCB officials has surfaced.”

The CBI said during the enquiry, it was revealed that no FIR was registered by NCB, Jodhpur.

At the time of asking CBI to conduct a preliminary enquiry, Justice Arun Monga had kept the door open for either of the aggrieved parties.

“Needless to say, both NCB and State Police officials, who are accused in the cross cases shall have their right to seek remedy in accordance with law, in case, any of them is aggrieved with the outcome of the CBI preliminary report,” said Justice Monga while disposing of the matter on September 7, 2024.

--IANS

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