New Delhi, August 19, 2026: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a senior accounts officer of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting after he was allegedly caught red-handed accepting a ₹10 lakh bribe through his wife. The officer had earlier demanded ₹15 lakh to expedite the clearance of a pending contract renewal file of a private company.
The accused has been identified as Sandeep, a 2020-batch officer of the Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS). He was posted as Deputy Controller of Accounts and Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in New Delhi.
How the Case Unfolded
According to the CBI, the agency registered a case on August 18, 2026, following a complaint that the officer had demanded an undue advantage of ₹15 lakh from the complainant for processing the file expeditiously. The file related to the renewal of a private company’s contract that was pending before him in his capacity as Independent Financial Adviser.
After negotiations, the accused allegedly agreed to accept ₹10 lakh to move the renewal file forward. The CBI conducted an initial enquiry, gathered evidence, and laid a trap the same day (August 18). Officials caught Sandeep Choudhary while he was accepting the bribe amount through his wife.
A CBI spokesperson stated: “The CBI laid a trap on Tuesday and caught Sandeep when he was accepting the bribe amount through his wife.” After the arrest, CBI teams searched the officer’s office and seized some files. Further investigation is underway.
Role of the Officer
As Independent Financial Adviser (also described as Internal Financial Adviser in some reports) and Deputy Controller of Accounts, the officer held a key position involving financial scrutiny and clearances within the ministry. Independent Financial Advisers in central ministries play an important role in examining proposals involving expenditure, contracts, and renewals. Their concurrence or advice is often required before files can move forward for final approval. Delays or bottlenecks in such clearances can create opportunities for demands of illegal gratification, which is what the complaint alleged in this case.
CBI’s Action and Status
The public servant has been apprehended. The CBI has not publicly named the private company involved or the wife who allegedly received the money on behalf of the officer. Investigations are continuing to establish the full sequence of events, examine related records, and determine if any other persons were involved.
The arrest forms part of the CBI’s ongoing actions against alleged corruption involving public servants in positions that handle financial clearances and contract-related files. Cases involving demands for bribes to process pending files remain a recurring category of complaints received by the agency.
The matter is at the investigation stage. No chargesheet has been filed yet, and the officer remains under the agency’s custody pending further legal proceedings.
