The CBI has booked suspended Delhi court judge Rachna Lakhanpal and her husband, facing bribery charges, in a fresh case for alleged possession of disproportionate assets to the tune of `2.99 crore.
Lakhanpal, then posted as senior civil judge at Tis Hazari court, and her advocate husband Alok, were arrested in 2016 for allegedly receiving a bribe of `4 lakh to deliver a favourable decision in a pending matter. The CBI had filed a charge sheet in that case in 2018.
While investigating the bribery case, the CBI claimed to have unearthed alleged illicit assets amassed by the couple during 2006-16.
The FIR alleged that the couple had assets of `1.09 lakh at the start of the check period on July 27, 2006 when Rachna Lakhanpal joined judicial services which swelled to over `3.53 crore in 10 years on September 28, 2016 when they were arrested. During the period, the couple had an income of `1.05 crore while their expenditure was `51.73 lakh, according to the FIR.
The couple, according to the CBI FIR, acquired assets worth `2.99 crore which are allegedly disproportionate to their known sources of income for which they could not provide satisfactory explanation.
"Further, it is relevant to mention that Ms Rachna Tiwari Lakhanpal has not intimated to the department about the unaccounted cash of `94.09 lakh which was recovered from the house search and also concealed about the actual value of house No. R-546, New Rajinder Nagar, New Delhi amounting to `1.60 crore," the FIR alleged.
It has alleged that unaccounted cash of `94.09 lakh was recovered during house search of Rachna and Alok Lakhanpal on the day of trap, which was kept in a briefcase in the almirah of their master bedroom.
"Investigation revealed that Rachna Tiwari intended to dispose off this amount along with the bribe money of `4 lakh by carrying the briefcase (containing `94,09,900) in one hand and orange colour packet (containing bribe money of ` four lakhs) in the other and made a quick way towards outside from the backyard of her house but failed in her efforts/ attempt due to the presence of CBI team in the premises," the FIR alleged.
The agency found CCTV footage which revealed them about the alleged attempts of Lakhanpal to dispose off the cash.
The CBI alleged that while Rachna Lakhanpal was booked under fresh corruption charges for amassing the assets, her husband Alok was "actively involved" for acquisition of various assets in his name and in the joint name of his relatives and he is also liable for abetment to the offence under section 109 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the FIR alleged.