Bhopal, October 11–13, 2026: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Rajesh Kumar (also referred to as Rajesh Kumar Gupta in local reports), Superintendent of the Preventive Branch (Headquarters) of the CGST and Central Excise Commissionerate, Bhopal, for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹2 lakh. The officer was caught red-handed during a trap operation on Saturday after a complaint that he had sought a monthly payment of ₹2 lakh from the proprietor of a Bhopal-based scrap firm.
According to the CBI, the case was registered following a complaint that Kumar demanded an “undue advantage” of ₹2 lakh per month in exchange for not intercepting vehicles carrying the firm’s scrap material and for not creating any hindrance to the complainant’s business.
The agency laid a trap and apprehended him while he was accepting ₹2 lakh. Subsequent searches at his residential premises in Bhopal and Kanpur led to the recovery of ₹72.50 lakh in cash along with documents relating to immovable property. The investigation is continuing.
Local reports provide additional background to the complaint. The complainant, identified as Mubeen Khan, a scrap trader associated with a firm in Mandideep, alleged that on September 15, 2026, Kumar intercepted one of his scrap-laden trucks travelling from Indore to Bhopal for lack of an e-way bill. The same night, the officer allegedly conducted a raid at the trader’s warehouse in Mandideep and took away ₹11 lakh while threatening to disrupt the business.
Subsequently, Kumar is said to have demanded a regular monthly payment of ₹2 lakh (reportedly to be paid on the 10th of every month) for allowing the scrap business to operate without interference. The trap was executed near D-Mart on Narmadapuram Road in Bhopal after the case was registered.
Following the arrest, a special court granted two days’ CBI remand. The CGST department has suspended Kumar and initiated a departmental inquiry into his conduct. Officials have indicated that the agency is also examining the possibility of registering a separate case of disproportionate assets, given the substantial cash recovery and property documents seized.
The CBI has stated that further investigation is underway. This action forms part of the agency’s ongoing efforts against corruption in central government departments. No official response from the accused or detailed comment from the CGST Commissionerate beyond the suspension has been reported in the available accounts.
