CBI Arrests Two ED Officials in Lucknow Over Alleged Rs 5 Lakh Bribe

The CBI has arrested an Enforcement Officer and a Head Constable in Lucknow for allegedly accepting a Rs 5 lakh bribe to provide favors in a pending ED investigation, marking a significant crackdown on corruption within the agency.

CBI Arrests ED Officials in Lucknow Bribery Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, including an Enforcement Officer and a Head Constable, in an alleged Rs 5 lakh bribery case in Lucknow. The accused have been identified as Deepak Kumar, Enforcement Officer, and Manoj Dwivedi, Head Constable, both posted at the ED’s Lucknow Zone office.

According to the CBI, the case was registered on October 23, 2026, following a complaint alleging that the Head Constable had demanded a bribe from the complainant’s father in connection with an ED case in which he had received two summons in August and September 2026. The CBI laid a trap and allegedly caught Manoj Dwivedi red-handed while demanding and accepting Rs 5 lakh on behalf of the Enforcement Officer for extending favour to the complainant’s father in the case. The Head Constable was on deputation to the ED and is alleged to have played a key role in the bribery operation. Both accused have been apprehended, and further investigation is underway.

Details on Cyber Fraud Investigation

Earlier, CBI had arrested Muhammed Fasal K, a key accused in an international cyber fraud and ATM card smuggling syndicate, from his residence in Thamarassery, Kozhikode on Saturday. The case relates to a Rs 1.04 crore cyber fraud reported in July 2024, in which a Thrissur-based complainant was allegedly duped by fraudsters posing as FedEx officials and cybercrime police. The victim was forced to transfer Rs 1,04,40,111 on the pretext of verifying his bank account.

The CBI investigation uncovered an international network that allegedly purchased debit and ATM cards from young people and students for Rs 3,000 to Rs 7,000 each and smuggled them to Dubai. The cards were allegedly used by foreign associates to withdraw proceeds of cyber fraud. The investigation also revealed that the accused allegedly withdrew money abroad and invested it in real estate across India and smuggled gold in Keralam. He was earlier intercepted at Bengaluru Airport on May 13, 2026, while attempting to escape to Sharjah, following the issuance of a Look Out Circular. (ANI)

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