How Did a Narcotics Officer and His Aide Get Caught in a Bribery Scandal?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Bribery and corruption within law enforcement remains a serious issue.
- The CBI's swift action exemplifies the importance of accountability.
- Threats made by officials can lead to significant legal repercussions.
- The case emphasizes the need for transparency in narcotics enforcement.
- Public trust in law enforcement must be upheld through integrity.
Bhopal, July 18 (NationPress) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended a Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) officer, Mahendra Singh, along with his intermediary, Jagdish Meneriya, for allegedly extorting Rs 3 lakh from a farmer in Rajasthan. The farmer claimed that he was threatened with false charges of illegally storing poppy husk.
The CBI initiated the case on July 17 following a complaint lodged by Mangi Lal Gurjar, a resident of Chittorgarh. Gurjar accused the CBN officer of soliciting a bribe to prevent him and his family from being implicated in a drug-related case after a raid was conducted on his agricultural land on March 27.
As part of their duties, the CBN, which operates under the Department of Revenue, aims to control the unauthorized production and distribution of opium.
Post the March raid, the officer instructed Gurjar’s relatives to get in touch with Jagdish Meneriya from village Aala Khedi, Tehsil Doongla, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.
According to the complaint, Meneriya informed Gurjar that Singh had confiscated 400 kg Doda-Chura (poppy husk) from his land.
On behalf of the officer, Meneriya initially demanded Rs 1 crore to ensure that Gurjar and his family would not face criminal charges. During negotiations, the officer pressured Gurjar to pay Rs 9 lakh as the first installment to avoid jail time.
Upon receiving Gurjar’s complaint, the CBI set up a sting operation on Friday, apprehending Meneriya red-handed while accepting Rs 3 lakh from Gurjar on behalf of Singh.
The CBI successfully recovered the bribe amount from Meneriya. Following this, agents executed raids at three sites across Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
A preliminary report from the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Bureau in Jaipur verified Gurjar’s allegations, confirming the demand for an undue advantage of Rs 9 lakh to avoid implicating him and his relatives in drug offenses.