The CBI's chargesheet reveals bribery and code words like "pickle" used by its officers. They have been accused of aiding fraudulent nursing colleges while accepting a bribes amounting to Rs 10 lakh
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet in a bribery case involving its own officers, who allegedly accepted bribes to assist with inspections of nursing colleges in Madhya Pradesh. Interestingly, the chargesheet revealed that code words such as “pickle,” “Mata ka Prasad,” and “Gulkand” were used to conceal the illicit activity.
Several nursing colleges established in Madhya Pradesh in 2020-2021 have been accused of operating fraudulently without the required infrastructure. Advocate Vishal Baghel filed a PIL about this scam, leading to the CBI being tasked with the investigation.
According to a report by the Indian Express, the CBI had given a clean chit 169 nursing colleges in Madhya Pradesh in February. However, on May 18, the CBI filed an FIR against 23 individuals, including four of its own officers and officials from nursing colleges in at least four districts, over allegations of bribery related to the inspection. The FIR claimed that the accused were involved in accepting bribes to issue ‘suitability reports’ for ineligible colleges.
On July 15, the CBI filed a chargesheet before a special CBI judge against 14 individuals. The accused included former CBI inspector Rahul Raj and Madhya Pradesh police officer Sushil Kumar Majoka, who was assigned to the CBI. Several directors and staff members from nursing colleges were also listed as accused.
The chargesheet was filed under charges of criminal conspiracy and several sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Sanction to prosecute Raj and Majoka is pending. The two CBI personnel were responsible for inspecting a total of 27 nursing colleges.
The CBI chargesheet stated that Raj was arrested “while accepting an illegal bribe of Rs 10 lakh” and noted “several other incidents where the accused received bribes” in exchange for disclosing the CBI team’s inspection schedule to college authorities.
