In a remarkable anti-corruption operation in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, the CBI's Anti-Corruption Team arrested the branch manager and the field officer of a rural bank along with another individual. The accusation was that they were accepting a 45,000 rupee bribe in exchange for loan approvals. However, they were caught red-handed in the act, leading to an all-night interrogation at the bank.
This significant crackdown was executed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the town of Sahaspur in Bijnor district, highlighting their commitment to tackling corruption. Branch Manager Kapil Kumar and Field Officer Vikas Kumar were apprehended while accepting the bribe. Additionally, a private individual (casual worker) was also taken into custody.
According to a press note released by the CBI, the case was registered following a complaint filed on January 31, 2026. The complaint was lodged by the wife of Chanchal Divakar, who had applied for a loan under the Chief Minister's Youth Entrepreneur Development Scheme at UP Gramin Bank, Sahaspur, Bijnor.
Demand for 45,000 Rupees for Loan Approval
The accusation states that the bank's field officer initially demanded a bribe of 40,000 rupees for approving the loan, which was later increased to 45,000 rupees. Frustrated with this, the complainant contacted the CBI in Ghaziabad on January 11 and informed them of the entire situation.
It was revealed that the CBI's Anti-Corruption Team had previously laid traps twice to catch the bank manager red-handed but without success. On January 31, for the third time, they set the trap from the morning. Due to a meeting attended by the manager and field officer, the complainant Chanchal was sent to the bank in the evening and contacted bank employee Noman. Following this, manager Kapil Kumar and field officer Vikas Kumar instructed Noman to collect the bribe money near a petrol pump.
Caught on the Spot and After a Chase
As soon as Chanchal Divakar handed the bribe money to Noman, who started counting it, the CBI team caught him red-handed. Meanwhile, the manager and field officer attempted to flee in their vehicle. However, the CBI team pursued them for two and a half kilometers before puncturing their car and apprehending them. To gather evidence, the CBI team had attached a voice recorder to Chanchal’s shirt.
After all three suspects were apprehended, the CBI team brought them back to the bank, closed the shutters, and conducted an overnight interrogation. During this time, no one was allowed to enter or leave the bank. On Sunday morning, the CBI team took all three into custody. A CBI press release stated that the investigation is ongoing. This incident has stirred concern among other bank employees and officials.
