CBI arrests Agra man for impersonating govt official, demanding ₹45,000 bribe
Synopsis
A man from Agra spent weeks impersonating a senior government official to extort bribes from small poultry farmers applying for state-backed loans — collecting payments via QR codes, changing phones and cities to stay ahead of investigators. The CBI's multi-week digital hunt, spanning CDR analysis, IP tracking, and field operations across three states, finally ended at his village doorstep.
Key Takeaways
Prabhu Dayal of Agra, Uttar Pradesh was arrested by the CBI on 19 July for impersonating a government official named Rishi Gupta of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying .
He allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹45,000 (2% of a ₹22.50 lakh AHIDF loan) from a poultry farm owner in Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand .
The CBI laid a trap on 29 June ; the accused accepted ₹5,000 as a first instalment via UPI/QR code before absconding.
Dayal was found to be targeting multiple AHIDF loan applicants daily, routing payments through third-party bank accounts to conceal the trail.
A weeks-long investigation involving CDR analysis, IP tracking , and examination of SIDBI and AHIDF officials led to his arrest at his native village in District Agra .
He was produced before the Competent Court at Dehradun for custody following his arrest.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday, 19 July arrested Prabhu Dayal, a resident of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, for impersonating a senior official of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi, and systematically extorting bribes from loan applicants across multiple states. The accused had been absconding since a preliminary trap was laid in late June, prompting weeks of intensive digital surveillance and field operations by the CBI's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), Dehradun.
How the Fraud Operated
Dayal allegedly posed as a government official named Rishi Gupta and targeted applicants who had applied for loans under the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) through the Udyami Mitra (SIDBI) portal. He reportedly demanded a bribe of ₹45,000 — equivalent to 2 per cent of a ₹22.50 lakh loan amount — from a poultry farm owner based in Village Lalpur, Tehsil Kashipur, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, threatening that failure to pay could result in rejection or delay of the loan application.
According to the CBI, Dayal collected bribes through UPI payments routed via QR codes sent to victims' mobile phones, with funds subsequently transferred to third-party bank accounts to obscure the money trail. Investigators found that he had access to detailed information on AHIDF loan applicants and was making calls to a large number of applicants daily.
The CBI Trap and Initial Arrest
The CBI registered the case on 29 June and the same day laid a trap in which the accused accepted ₹5,000 as a first instalment via QR code. Based on the digital trail, a private individual was arrested on 30 June from his residence, but interrogation revealed he was not the principal accused. The main suspect — Dayal — had already fled and was found to be frequently changing locations across Agra, Jaipur, and Delhi, using different mobile numbers to evade detection.
Multi-State Hunt and Final Arrest
CBI teams conducted extensive operations across Delhi, Agra, and adjoining areas over several weeks. Investigators analysed call detail records (CDRs) of multiple mobile numbers, bank account transactions, and IP addresses linked to loan applications. Officials of SIDBI and AHIDF, as well as multiple loan applicants, were examined during the probe. Through source intelligence and digital surveillance, Dayal was eventually traced to his native village — Chhota Pootha Bisarana, Police Station Dauki, Tehsil Fatehabad, District Agra — where he was arrested on Sunday.
Legal Proceedings
Following his arrest, Prabhu Dayal was produced before the Competent Court at Dehradun for custody, the CBI said in an official statement. The case highlights a growing pattern of fraudsters exploiting government loan portals to target small entrepreneurs, particularly in the agriculture and allied sectors. Investigators have indicated that the accused may have defrauded multiple applicants beyond the one complainant who triggered the formal case, and further scrutiny of his network is ongoing.
Point of View
And how many others in the pipeline were defrauded before the trap was set?
NationPress
20 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Prabhu Dayal and why was he arrested by the CBI?
Prabhu Dayal is a resident of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, arrested by the CBI on 19 July for impersonating a government official of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying and demanding bribes from AHIDF loan applicants. He allegedly posed as an official named Rishi Gupta to extort ₹45,000 from a poultry farm owner in Uttarakhand.
What is the AHIDF loan scheme targeted in this fraud?
The Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) is a central government scheme that provides loans to entrepreneurs in the animal husbandry and dairy sectors. Applicants apply through the Udyami Mitra portal operated by SIDBI, and it was this applicant database that the accused reportedly exploited to identify and contact potential victims.
How did the accused collect bribes without being detected?
According to the CBI, Dayal sent QR codes to victims' mobile phones to collect UPI payments, which were then transferred to third-party bank accounts to obscure the money trail. He also used multiple mobile numbers and frequently changed locations — moving between Agra, Jaipur, and Delhi — to evade investigators.
When was the CBI case registered and how was Dayal finally caught?
The CBI registered the case on 29 June and laid a trap the same day. After a preliminary arrest on 30 June proved to be a secondary suspect, Dayal was traced through weeks of CDR analysis, IP address tracking, and field operations across multiple states. He was finally found at his native village in District Agra and arrested on 19 July.
What happens next in the case?
Prabhu Dayal has been produced before the Competent Court at Dehradun for custody. The CBI investigation is continuing, with scrutiny likely to extend to how the accused obtained access to AHIDF applicant data and whether additional victims were defrauded beyond the one complainant who initiated the formal complaint.
