NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR against National Investigation Agency (NIA) Superintendent of Police (SP) Vishal Garg and Inspector Rajib Khan for extorting Rs 60 lakh from three residents in Manipur’s Imphal after threatening to implicate them in a false case.
In the FIR, the CBI has alleged that the two accused officials of the NIA had summoned people in Manipur capital, Imphal, on the pretext of questioning them but instead extorted money from them.
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The CBI registered the case after receiving a complaint, a copy of which is now part of the FIR, from Sudhanshu Shekhar Shukla, Deputy Superintendent, admin, NIA Headquarters, New Delhi.
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According to sources, Shukla said in the complaint,“Information was received from sources that then Imphal SP Garg, along with Inspector Rajib Khan, was collecting a huge amount of money from residents of Manipur by threatening to falsely implicate them in NIA cases.”
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Last month, Garg was suspended by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on the recommendation of NIA Director General Dinkar Gupta following a complaint of bribery against the officer.
Notably, Garg was part of the team that investigated Hindutva terror cases and was directly involved in the probes into the 2007 Samjhauta Express blasts and the Mecca Masjid blasts of Hyderabad.
Garg belonged to the BSF but was absorbed into the NIA in 2015.
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The CBI has registered an FIR under IPC Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 388 (extortion) and several sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
“Inquiry has revealed that the NIA had registered an FIR in 2022 with allegations that active cadres of terrorist organisations were raising funds in Manipur,” Shukla was quoted as stating.
The inquiry has revealed that through this modus operandi, Khan collected Rs 10 lakh cash from one Inaocha Takhellambam alias Naoba, Rs 20 lakh cash from one N Momon Singh, Rs 30 lakh cash from one Laishram Hemanta Singh, all residents of Imphal between May and August 2022 at the instance of Garg.
Shukla said there is a possibility of threatening other people/witnesses and extorting huge amounts from them. “This aspect too needs to be investigated and it is requested that needful action be taken against them,” he said.
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