CBI court sends 3 CISF accountants to custody in ₹48,400 bribe case
Synopsis
Three CISF Pay & Accounts Office officials in Ranchi were caught red-handed by the CBI accepting a ₹48,400 bribe to clear routine allowance bills for fellow personnel — a stark reminder that corruption can sit at the very desk meant to pay the salaries of paramilitary constables.
Key Takeaways
A Special CBI Court in Ranchi on 28 August sent three CISF accounts officials to three days of CBI custody.
The accused are Senior Accounts Officer Santosh Kumar Mahto and Assistant Accounts Officers Sunil Kumar and Sujit Kumar Singh .
The trio allegedly demanded and accepted a bribe of ₹48,400 to process TA and Children Education Allowance bills.
The CBI laid a trap on Thursday and caught all three red-handed; bribe money of ₹48,400 was recovered on the spot.
Searches at five premises yielded digital devices, property documents, jewellery, investment records, and substantial cash.
The CBI registered the case on Wednesday and is probing possible involvement of other officials.
A Special CBI Court in Ranchi on Friday, 28 August remanded three officials of the Regional Pay & Accounts Office, CISF, to three days of Central Bureau of Investigation custody for interrogation in connection with allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹48,400 to process allowance bills of fellow personnel. The court granted the custody remand on the CBI's prayer to ascertain whether other officials were also involved.
Who Was Arrested
The CBI identified the three accused as Senior Accounts Officer Santosh Kumar Mahto and Assistant Accounts Officers Sunil Kumar and Sujit Kumar Singh, all posted at the Regional Pay & Accounts Office, CISF, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ranchi. The agency registered the case against them on Wednesday before moving to arrest.
How the Trap Was Laid
According to the CBI, the complainant — a Head Constable of CISF posted at NTPC, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh — had approached the agency after the trio allegedly demanded a bribe to clear Travelling Allowance (TA) bills and Children Education Allowance bills for personnel in his unit. Investigators laid a trap on Thursday at the Ranchi office, during which all three accused were reportedly caught red-handed accepting the bribe amount of ₹48,400, which was recovered on the spot.
What Searches Uncovered
Simultaneously, the CBI conducted searches at five premises linked to the accused on Thursday. Investigators seized several incriminating materials, including digital devices, documents relating to property acquisitions, investment records, jewellery, and bank transaction details. Substantial cash amounts were also recovered, according to the agency's statement.
What Happens Next
The three-day custody remand will allow the CBI to interrogate the accused about the full chain of demand — specifically whether other officials in the pay and accounts hierarchy were complicit. This case is part of a broader pattern of CBI action against government functionaries who allegedly exploit bill-processing authority to extort payments from the very personnel whose salaries and allowances they are meant to disburse.
Point of View
Yet oversight mechanisms are thin. The fact that a Head Constable had to approach the CBI rather than an internal grievance channel speaks to how normalised such demands may have become. With searches at five premises yielding property documents and investments, this could be far larger than a single ₹48,400 transaction. The CBI's stated aim of probing 'other officials' suggests the agency suspects a wider network — and that is the thread worth watching.
NationPress
28 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were the three CISF officials arrested by the CBI?
The three officials — Senior Accounts Officer Santosh Kumar Mahto and Assistant Accounts Officers Sunil Kumar and Sujit Kumar Singh — were arrested for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹48,400 from a Head Constable to process Travelling Allowance and Children Education Allowance bills for personnel in his unit. They were caught red-handed during a CBI trap at their Ranchi office.
How much bribe money was recovered by the CBI?
The CBI recovered ₹48,400 as bribe money during the trap operation conducted at the Regional Pay & Accounts Office, CISF, Ranchi on Thursday. This amount was accepted from the complainant Head Constable in the presence of CBI witnesses.
What did CBI searches at the accused's premises reveal?
Searches at five premises linked to the three accused on Thursday yielded digital devices, documents related to property acquisitions, investment records, jewellery, bank transaction details, and substantial cash amounts, according to the CBI.
How long is the CBI custody remand?
The Special CBI Court in Ranchi granted three days of police custody remand to allow the CBI to interrogate the accused and determine whether other officials in the pay and accounts hierarchy were also involved.
Who filed the complaint that triggered the CBI case?
The complainant was a Head Constable of CISF posted at NTPC, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, who alleged that the three Ranchi-based accounts officials demanded a bribe to release allowance bills for colleagues in his unit. The CBI registered the case on Wednesday based on this complaint.
