CBI Seizes Deputy Registrar in NCLT Bribery Scandal

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been granted one-day custody of Charan Pratap Singh, the Deputy Registrar of the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), in connection with a bribery case. Singh is accused of demanding a substantial bribe to influence the outcome of a hotel ownership dispute.

Singh and Karsan Ganesh Ahir, who allegedly collected the bribe on Singh's behalf, were arrested on May 29. Despite the initial rejection of a custody plea due to the recovery of the bribe money, the CBI successfully argued for further interrogation to uncover potential involvement of other senior NCLT officials.

The case sprang from a complaint filed by a hotel owner amid a longstanding family dispute. It is alleged that Singh sought Rs 3.5 lakh to manipulate the tribunal's outcome in the complainant's favor but later agreed to Rs 3 lakh, facilitating a CBI trap that led to the arrests.

(With inputs from agencies.)