Delhi Court Frames Corruption Charges Against Three Delhi Cops, Including Crime Branch Sub-Inspector

A Delhi Court has on June 9 framed charges of corruption and criminal conspiracy against three Delhi Police officials, including a Sub-Inspector from the Crime Branch, for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 2 lakh to shield two individuals from arrest in a narcotics case.

Special Judge Shailender Malik of Rouse Avenue Court ordered that charges be formally framed against Sub-Inspector (SI) Sanjeev Kumar, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Kirori Mal, and Head Constable (HC) Sanjay Kumar.

All three were posted at the Police Station Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), Crime Branch, at the time of the alleged incident.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which investigated the case and filed the charge sheet, alleged that the trio conspired to extract a bribe from the complainant, Rohit Kumar, in exchange for not arresting his two friends, Satpal and Mujahid Malik, who had been summoned in connection with a narcotics FIR.

According to the charge sheet, the complainant approached the CBI on November 23, 2024, with a detailed allegation that his friends had been served notices to join an investigation related to a case registered at ANTF/Crime Branch, Old Kotwali, Daryaganj.

When the complainant accompanied them to the police station on September 9, 2024, they were allegedly confronted by SI Sanjeev Kumar and ASI Kirori Mal, who demanded Rs. 2 lakh to avoid arresting Satpal and Mujahid. The complainant was also allegedly threatened with implication in the case if he failed to comply.

Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap on November 25, 2024. Head Constable (HC) Sanjay Kumar was apprehended red-handed while accepting the bribe amount on behalf of the other two accused. During the subsequent interrogation, Sanjay Kumar reportedly admitted to receiving the bribe at the behest of ASI Kirori Mal.

SI Sanjeev Kumar and ASI Kirori Mal initially evaded investigation and later joined the probe only after the intervention of the Delhi High Court in December 2024 and January 2025, respectively.

While framing the charges, the Special Judge observed that there is sufficient prima facie evidence to establish a criminal conspiracy among all three accused.

"There is sufficient material and evidence prima facie on record to show that there was criminal conspiracy amongst all the accused persons in demanding bribe money from complainant which was accepted by HC Sanjay Kumar," the Court noted.

Accordingly, the Court directed that charges be framed against Sanjay Kumar under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as a substantive offence, and against all three accused under Section 7 read with Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

Significantly, both SI Sanjeev Kumar and ASI Kirori Mal had moved applications seeking discharge from the corruption charges on the ground of defective sanction for prosecution. They argued that the sanction was improperly granted by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and not by the Commissioner of Police, as required under Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, read with Article 311 of the Constitution.

The Court, however, rejected these applications, holding that the validity of the sanction involved mixed questions of fact and law. It was noted that the Investigating Officer had indeed sought sanction from the Commissioner’s office, and therefore, the matter required a full trial. "Such challenge to validity of sanction in the opinion of this court involves both legal as well as factual aspects," the Court remarked.

Conclusively, the Court ordered, "There is sufficient material and evidence prima facie on record to show that there was criminal conspiracy amongst all the accused persons in demanding bribe money from complainant which was accepted by A-3 HC Sanjay Kumar. As such there is prima facie material for framing the charge against accused Sanjay Kumar (A-3) u/s 7 of P.C. Act, 1988 (being a substantive offence) as well as against all the accused persons under Section 7 of P.C. Act, 1988 r/w 61(2) of BNS. Let the charges be framed."

Case Title: CBI v. Sanjeev Kumar and Ors.