Court denies bail to ED officers in bribery case

A court in India has denied a second bail request from two Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers, Vikas Deep and Niraj, involved in a bribery case. The decision came from CBI special judge Alka Malik, who noted that the investigation is complete, but this does not warrant bail. The judge explained that the prosecution claims both officers played active roles in the crime. They allegedly collected bribe money of ₹55 lakh for their co-accused. The judge emphasized the seriousness of the allegations and the circumstances of the case, where the accused had moved to escape during a police operation. This was not the first time bail was sought. Their first request was rejected in January 2025. The judge stated that simply filing a chargesheet does not justify releasing the accused on bail. The case originated from a complaint by Rajnish Bansal, who alleged that he was pressured into paying bribes to avoid arrest. Officers had allegedly demanded amounts reaching ₹1.10 crore, later negotiating down to ₹60 lakh. After the complaint, a trap was set by the CBI, which led to the arrest of several involved, including Vikas Deep and Niraj. Although the accused claimed they were falsely implicated and had no role in the crime, the court has maintained their custody.