SBI branch manager gets 4-year jail, ₹90,000 fine in CBI bribery case
Synopsis
A CBI court in Lucknow has convicted an SBI branch manager who demanded a bribe equal to five per cent of a loan amount — and was caught red-handed accepting ₹40,000. The four-year sentence, delivered six years after the 2018 trap, highlights both the CBI's prosecutorial reach and the slow churn of India's anti-corruption trial machinery.
Key Takeaways
Ajay Kumar Gaur , former Branch Manager of SBI's Shahupuri Branch , Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh , convicted by a CBI court in Lucknow .
Sentenced to four years' imprisonment and fined ₹90,000 for accepting a bribe to sanction a ₹10 lakh personal loan.
Gaur had demanded ₹50,000 (5% of the loan) and was caught accepting ₹40,000 in a CBI trap on 26 February 2018 .
In a separate case, proclaimed offender Roop Singh was arrested on 21 August after allegedly absconding for nearly 23 years in a ₹9 lakh goods-misappropriation case from Maharashtra .
Co-accused Arjun Singh in the same Maharashtra case had been arrested on 7 November 2025 after nearly 22 years on the run.
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Lucknow has convicted Ajay Kumar Gaur, the then Branch Manager of the State Bank of India (SBI)'s Shahupuri Branch in Chandauli district, Uttar Pradesh, sentencing him to four years' imprisonment and a fine of ₹90,000 for demanding a bribe to sanction a personal loan. The verdict closes a case that originated with a CBI trap laid in 2018.
How the Case Unfolded
The CBI registered the case on 26 February 2018 after a complainant alleged that Gaur had demanded ₹50,000 — equivalent to five per cent of the loan amount — as an illegal gratification for sanctioning and disbursing a ₹10 lakh personal loan. Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap and caught Gaur red-handed while he was accepting ₹40,000 in bribe money from the complainant.
A chargesheet was filed on 27 April 2018, and formal charges were framed on 9 January 2019. Following the completion of trial, the Lucknow CBI court delivered its conviction and sentence.
What the Court Ordered
The court sentenced Gaur to four years' rigorous imprisonment and imposed a total fine of ₹90,000. The conviction underscores the CBI's sustained effort to prosecute corruption within public-sector banking, where branch managers wield significant discretionary power over loan approvals.
Separate CBI Action: Fugitive Nabbed After 23 Years
In a separate development, the CBI on 21 August arrested proclaimed offender Roop Singh, who had allegedly been absconding for nearly 23 years in connection with a case involving the criminal misappropriation of goods worth ₹9 lakh from trucks transporting them to customers. According to the CBI, the arrest followed sustained efforts by the investigating agency.
The underlying case — registered as Case No. 178/1998 at Amalner Police Station in Maharashtra on 4 October 1998 — alleged that on 27 September 1998, two truck drivers, Babu Khan and Aslam Khan, stole and misappropriated goods including ghee and moong loaded in two trucks. A co-accused, Arjun Singh, had already been arrested on 7 November 2025 after remaining at large for nearly 22 years.
Broader Pattern of CBI Enforcement
The Gaur conviction is part of a broader CBI push against corruption in public-sector institutions. Bribery by bank officials for routine loan approvals represents one of the more common categories of cases the agency pursues, with trap operations remaining its primary investigative tool. Notably, the gap between the 2018 trap and the final verdict reflects the pace at which such trials move through the system — a recurring concern for anti-corruption advocates.
The CBI's successful prosecution of a decades-old absconder in the Maharashtra goods-theft case simultaneously signals that the agency is also clearing long-pending matters from its dockets.
Point of View
Meanwhile, is a reminder that the CBI's pending docket carries cases from the late 1990s that have never been fully resolved. Institutional corruption in public-sector banking persists in part because the deterrent effect of prosecution is blunted by timelines that stretch beyond public memory.
NationPress
25 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ajay Kumar Gaur and why was he convicted?
Ajay Kumar Gaur was the Branch Manager of SBI's Shahupuri Branch in Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh. He was convicted by a CBI court in Lucknow for demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹40,000 to sanction a ₹10 lakh personal loan, and has been sentenced to four years' imprisonment and a ₹90,000 fine.
When did the CBI first register the bribery case against the SBI manager?
The CBI registered the case on 26 February 2018, after a complainant alleged that Gaur had demanded ₹50,000 — five per cent of the loan amount — as an illegal gratification. The agency laid a trap and caught him red-handed the same day.
Who is Roop Singh and why was he arrested?
Roop Singh is a proclaimed offender arrested by the CBI on 21 August in connection with the criminal misappropriation of goods worth ₹9 lakh from trucks in Maharashtra. He had allegedly been absconding for nearly 23 years since the original case was registered in 1998.
What was the Maharashtra goods-theft case about?
The case, registered at Amalner Police Station on 4 October 1998, alleged that truck drivers Babu Khan and Aslam Khan stole and misappropriated goods — including ghee and moong — loaded in two trucks on 27 September 1998. Co-accused Arjun Singh was arrested in November 2025 after 22 years on the run.
What does this verdict mean for corruption in public-sector banks?
The conviction signals that CBI trap operations against bank officials can result in custodial sentences, even if the trial process is lengthy. It reinforces accountability for branch-level officials who misuse discretionary loan-approval powers, though the six-year timeline from trap to verdict remains a concern for the speed of anti-corruption justice.
