The CBI nabbed two Enforcement Directorate officials in Lucknow on charges of demanding a Rs 5 lakh bribe to sway an ongoing investigation. The accused—Deepak Kumar, an Enforcement Officer, and Manoj Dwivedi, a Head Constable on deputation to the ED—were caught in a trap set by the CBI after a complaint alleged Dwivedi demanded the money from a citizen who had received summons in August and September 2026.
The case was registered on October 23, 2026, following the complaint. According to the CBI, Dwivedi acted as the intermediary, demanding and accepting the sum on behalf of Kumar, who allegedly sought to extend favour to the complainant's father in the ED matter. The CBI stated it caught Dwivedi red-handed during the transaction.
This arrest stings the ED, an agency known for financial crime enforcement, with internal corruption allegations. Both officials are now in CBI custody, and the investigation is expected to probe whether this was an isolated incident or part of a wider pattern within the Lucknow Zone office.
Meanwhile, the CBI also made a separate high-profile arrest in Kerala. Muhammed Fasal K, a key accused in a Rs 1.04 crore international cyber fraud and ATM card smuggling syndicate, was picked up from his residence in Thamarassery, Kozhikode. He had earlier been intercepted at Bengaluru Airport on May 13, 2026, while trying to flee to Sharjah after a Look Out Circular was issued. The case, reported in July 2024, involved a Thrissur victim tricked by fraudsters posing as FedEx and police into transferring Rs 1,04,40,111. The network allegedly bought debit cards from students for Rs 3,000–7,000 each and smuggled them to Dubai for foreign associates to withdraw fraud proceeds, with funds allegedly reinvested in Indian real estate and gold smuggling.