ED officer accused of bribery transferred from Kerala to Meghalaya

An Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer accused in a bribery case has been transferred from Kerala to Shillong, Meghalaya.

Kochi: Enforcement Directorate (ED) Assistant Director Shekhar Kumar Yadav, who is facing bribery allegations in a case registered by the Kerala Vigilance, has been transferred out of the state. He has now been posted to Shillong, Meghalaya.

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau had registered a case against Shekhar Kumar Yadav following a complaint by businessman Aneesh Babu, who alleged that the ED officer demanded a bribe in exchange for protecting him from prosecution in an ED case.

Aneesh Babu is accused in an ED case involving the alleged misappropriation of Rs 24.73 crore related to cashew nut imports.

Shekhar Kumar named first accused; two others out on bail

The Vigilance named Shekhar Kumar Yadav as the first accused in the bribery case. Two intermediaries, who were initially arrested in connection with the case, have since been granted bail.

The Vigilance informed the High Court that any decision regarding Shekhar Kumar Yadav’s arrest would be made only after a detailed investigation. His transfer came in the wake of these legal developments.

ED launches internal probe

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate has launched its own investigation into the bribery allegations. However, the ED has not yet responded to the Vigilance Department's official request for case details concerning Aneesh Babu.

In an effort to ensure cooperation, Vigilance officers delivered a formal notice in person to the ED office.

After summoning Aneesh Babu to its Delhi office and recording his statement, the ED stated that the bribery case was fabricated, and that Aneesh had no evidence against Shekhar Kumar Yadav.

In response, Aneesh Babu claimed that ED officials pressured him to withdraw his complaint against the Assistant Director.