Senior ED Officer Caught in CBI’s ₹50 Lakh Bribery Sting in Odisha
Bhubaneswar, May 30, 2025: In a dramatic turn of events, Chintan Raghuvanshi, a senior Deputy Director of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Odisha unit, found himself in handcuffs on Thursday, ensnared by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a meticulously planned sting operation. The 2013-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer was caught red-handed accepting ₹20 lakh, the first tranche of an alleged ₹50 lakh bribe, shaking the foundations of trust in one of India’s premier investigative agencies.
The scandal unfolded when Ratikant Rout, popularly known as Julu, a mining businessman from Dhenkanal, approached the CBI with a complaint. Rout alleged that Raghuvanshi had demanded the hefty sum following ED raids on January 8, 2025, targeting 14 locations tied to his business operations. Sensing an opportunity to curb corruption at the highest levels, the CBI sprang into action, setting up a trap that culminated in Raghuvanshi’s arrest. Color-coded currency notes recovered from the officer served as damning evidence, sealing his fate in the carefully orchestrated operation.
The arrest has sent shockwaves through Odisha and beyond, casting a spotlight on the integrity of top investigative bodies. As a senior ED official tasked with upholding financial accountability, Raghuvanshi’s alleged involvement in such a brazen act of corruption has raised troubling questions about the credibility of anti-corruption institutions. The incident threatens to erode public confidence in the civil services, with many expressing dismay over the betrayal of trust by a high-ranking officer.
The CBI has now launched a deeper probe to unravel the full extent of the scandal, with sources hinting at potential further revelations. As the investigation intensifies, the nation watches closely, awaiting answers in a case that underscores both the resolve to combat corruption and the challenges of maintaining accountability within the system.
