SFIO Deputy Director remanded to judicial custody in Rs 10 crore bribe case

SFIO Deputy Director Harish Tanwar was remanded to judicial custody until Oct 28 by Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court. He was arrested by the CBI from Chennai for allegedly demanding a Rs 10 crore bribe to favour a complainant in a DHFL scam probe.

The Rouse Avenue Court on Monday remanded Harish Tanwar to judicial custody after CBI interrogation in a corruption case. Tanwar is a deputy director in the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO). He has been arrested for allegedly demanding a bribe of ten crore rupees from the complainant.

Duty Special Judge (CBI) Satyabrat Panda remanded Tanwar to judicial custody till October 28. He was produced before the court after three days in CBI custody.

Two other accused, namely Bharat Sharma and Aryan Sharma, are already in judicial custody till October 28.

The investigating officer moved an application and sought judicial custody of the accused on the ground that the investigation is underway. Meanwhile, the accused may be sent to judicial custody.

Tanwar was arrested from Chennai on October 14 and was brought to Delhi on transit remand. He was produced before the Rouse Avenue court on October 16. Thereafter, he was sent to CBI custody for 3 days.

The Allegations

While seeking remand of Harish Tanwar, the CBI had submitted that the accused has been arrested from Chennai and he is required to be interrogated and confronted with the co-accused. He is required to be confronted with the material collected during investigation.

It is the allegation of the CBI that the complainant Gopal Shivram Delvi had given the complaint on 12.10.2026 regarding demand of Rs.10 Crores by Harish Tanwar, investigation officer (IO) in SFIO at Chennai, and the complainant was approached by a number of persons repeatedly.

It is further alleged that the Complainant also received notice from SFIO to join the investigation at Chennai and was threatened by said Harish Tanwar to agree to the demands raised by one Akash Gupta and Romi and one Kavita Patil; the senior of Harish Tanwar was also involved. The complainant was told that one advocate, Shivam Srivastava, also contacted him, and all the accused persons claimed to be working at the instance of one Bhaiya.

It is alleged that accused Bharat Sharma contacted Delvi and eventually, the amount was negotiated at Rs.1 crore, and the complainant was asked to give a token of Rs.25 lakhs. The complaint was verified, and the case was registered. Eventually, a trap was laid in the presence of two independent witnesses and an amount of Rs.20 lakhs was delivered to Bharat Sharma, which was received on his behalf by accused Aryan Sharma.

Courtroom Arguments

Public Prosecutor for CBI had submitted that custodial interrogation of both the accused is required to ascertain the identity of public servants and other individuals involved and to unearth the larger conspiracy and the role and involvement of each of the accused persons.

On the other hand, counsel for the accused had strongly opposed the application for police remand, submitting that the complaint appears to have been prepared by the CBI officials and the CBI conducted the raid in the night of 13.10.2026 and accused Aryan Sharma is a 19-year-old boy studying in B.Com (final year). It was submitted that he has nothing to do with the allegations and no custodial interrogation is required as no allegations of commission of any crime have been levelled against him.

Investigation Context

The CBI registered the instant case against an officer of the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Chennai and an Advocate, along with others, on the allegations that they had demanded undue advantage of Rs. 1 Crore from the complainant for allegedly favouring him in an investigation being conducted by SFIO related to the DHFL scam.

During the course of searches conducted at the premises of the Public Servant and the Advocate, incriminating material related to the case has been recovered. (ANI)

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