Officer Who Spoke Against Corruption Now Faces Bribery Allegations

Trainee IPS officer Rahul Bansal, who reportedly spoke about being forced to pay a ₹500 bribe while preparing for the civil services, is now facing allegations of accepting a ₹1 crore bribe. The Chhattisgarh-cadre officer was serving as CSP in Surguja district when, according to complainants, he allegedly accepted the money as part of a settlement in a cybercrime case. The complainants reportedly submitted WhatsApp records and other digital evidence, claiming that the amount was transferred to him in two instalments.

The matter has reached a special CBI court in Delhi, which has directed the Chhattisgarh Police to submit a report on the allegations. Meanwhile, an old mock-interview video of Bansal from before he joined the civil services has resurfaced. In the video, he reportedly recalled how a panchayat official demanded ₹500 to urgently issue his brother’s birth certificate and said paying the amount had upset him. His earlier remarks on corruption are now being compared with the latest allegations, drawing criticism online. However, the Chhattisgarh Police have not yet issued an official statement on the allegations.