The Delhi High Court on Friday suspended a senior civil judge who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 4 lakh from an advocate. She was sent to 14 days’ judicial custody on Thursday.
Practicing at Tis Hazari Courts, Rachna Tiwari lakhanpal was arrested on Wednesday night while allegedly accepting bribe from an advocate — who was appointed as local commissioner in a case adjudicated by her — at her residence in Gulabi Bagh. Advocate Vishal Mehan was also arrested by the agency, sources said.
Alok lakhanpal, husband of the judge, has also been arrested in the case, they said.
“A case was registered under Prevention of Corruption Act against the advocate on a complaint alleging that in a matter being heard by a Senior Civil Judge (West), Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi, she had appointed him as local commissioner for conducting an inspection of the disputed property and submitting his report.
“The advocate (appointed as local commissioner) allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 2 lakh for himself as well as Rs 20 lakh for the said Senior Civil Judge for deciding the matter in favour of the complainant,” he said.
During searches at the judge’s residence, cash amounting to Rs 94 lakh was seized along with two locker keys and other material, CBI spokesperson RK Gaur said on Thursday.
The spokesperson said CBI teams laid a trap at the designated place where the bribe was to be allegedly paid by the advocate Vishal Mehan.
As the bribe was being allegedly paid, CBI teams swung into action and nabbed the lawyer while he was “receiving” a bribe of Rs 5 lakh purportedly on behalf of lakhanpal, he said.
During initial questioning, the advocate told the sleuths that the money was allegedly meant for the judge, Gaur said.
The team then took the accused advocate to the residence of the judge where he allegedly handed over Rs 5 lakh to lakhanpal while she gave Rs 1 lakh to the lawyer as his cut, he said.
“The alleged bribe money of Rs 5 lakh was recovered by CBI,” the spokesperson said.
The judge was on Thursday remanded to 14 days in judicial custody in a graft case by a special court, which sent her lawyer husband to two days in police custody.
Rachna Tiwari lakhanpal was produced before Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal who sent her to judicial custody till October 13 after CBI said her custodial interrogation was not required. The court also fixed her bail application for hearing on October 3.
Meanwhile, the court also sent her husband Alok lakhanpal, a practicing lawyer, and local commissioner Vikas Mehal to two days in CBI custody till October 1.