The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a fresh bribery case against Lieutenant Colonel Vikash Raizada, a serving officer in the Indian Army, who was already under investigation for irregularities in a 2021 recruitment process. This new case involves allegations of accepting bribes from candidates seeking posts in the multi-tasking staff (MTS) category.
Lt Col Raizada, along with Havildar Sushant Nahak, who was posted at the Southern Command headquarters in Pune, is accused of taking bribes from both selected and unselected candidates during the 2021 recruitment drive. The MTS recruitment process in question was marred by allegations of corruption and irregularities, including the leaking of answer keys.
The CBI had already arrested Lt Col Raizada in 2022 for his involvement in the initial recruitment scandal. Nahak is also being investigated in connection with the case. During the course of the investigation, the CBI uncovered several WhatsApp chats and text messages from the accused, which indicate that Nahak took bribes from candidates to expedite their posting formalities and return their original documents.
One candidate came forward with a complaint claiming that he had paid Rs2 lakh to Nahak in 2021 for the return of his original documents. According to the CBI, Nahak allegedly shared the illicit money with Lt Col Raizada, further implicating him in the bribery network.
As a result, the CBI has filed an FIR against Lt Col Raizada and Havildar Nahak under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) related to criminal conspiracy and cheating, along with provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
This fresh case highlights the ongoing issue of corruption within the military recruitment process, with both Raizada and Nahak now facing serious charges that could lead to significant legal consequences.