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The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Friday arrested an Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer, accusing him of being caught “red-handed” accepting a bribe of ₹20 lakh from a doctor in Dindigul district.
As per an official release, authorities noted that Ankit Tiwari and his ED officers team had allegedly been intimidating multiple individuals, demanding bribes under the pretext of settling cases within the Enforcement Directorate.
“Investigation is being done to elucidate whether he had blackmailed/threatened any other officials adopting this modus operandi and collected crores of money in the name of the Enforcement Directorate,” said Tamil Nadu DVAC in an official release.
Also Read: Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau arrests ED official, associate for accepting ₹15 lakh bribe
Who is Ankit Tiwari?
Ankit Tiwari, a member of the 2016 batch of officers, has a background of prior service in the states of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. As per an official statement released by DVAC Chennai, Tiwari currently holds the position of an enforcement officer within the Madurai Enforcement Department office under the Union government.
“On October 29, 2023, he contacted a government employee from Dindigul and mentioned a case registered against him in the Dindigul Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Department, which was already disposed of,” the DVAC said in its release.
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Moreover, Ankit Tiwari conveyed to the government employee that directives had been issued from the Prime Minister’s Office to initiate an investigation through the Enforcement Department in this matter. He directed the government official to present themselves at the Enforcement Directorate office in Madurai on October 30, 2023.
Subsequently, when the government employee visited Madurai, Ankit Tiwari entered the employee’s vehicle and proposed a negotiation, suggesting that a payment of ₹3 crore could forestall legal repercussions in the case.
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Following this, Tiwari claimed to have consulted with his superiors, indicating an agreement to settle for a bribe amount of ₹51 lakh. On November 1, 2023, the government employee handed over ₹20 lakh as the initial instalment of the bribe.
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In the aftermath, Ankit Tiwari allegedly harassed the employee through calls and text messages, insisting that the full sum of ₹51 lakh must be paid promptly, or else severe consequences would ensue.
Having suspicion over his activities, the government employee complained to the Dindigul district Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Unit on November 30, 2023.
On the morning of November 1, 2023, the sleuths of V&AC caught Ankit Tiwari after he had received ₹20 lakh as a bribe from the complainant. Subsequently, he was arrested at 10.30 a.m. under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
“It is pertinent to mention that the sleuths have seized several incriminating documents regarding his misconduct,” said the release, adding, “an investigation is being done to elucidate whether he blackmailed or threatened any other officials adopting this modus operandi and collected money in the name of the Enforcement Directorate.”
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Congress President KS Alagiri said, “Based on the information and complaint received by the Tamil Nadu police they went to check to the enforcement department office. If he was innocent, he could have faced them and why did he run away at the time.”
The statement mentioned that additional investigations will be carried out at locations linked to Ankit Tiwari.
Sources told PTI that the matter in connection with which the ED officer allegedly accepted the bribe is not known immediately. “The action was taken after the doctor preferred a complaint with the DVAC and Tiwari is currently being questioned by the DVAC sleuths,” sources added.
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