In a fresh development in the Ankit Tiwari corruption case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) Special Task Force in Delhi has filed a case against him. Ankit Tiwari, an official from the ED was arrested on corruption charges by Tamil Nadu’s Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption. The arrest led to a tension between the central agency and the DVAC.
The ED has booked an Enforcement Case Information Report (which is similar to a First Information Report but used for internal purposes) against Tiwari. With the STF office located in Delhi, the case is likely to be transferred.
On December 1, Ankit Tiwari was arrested by the DVAC for accepting a bribe of Rs 20 lakh from a government doctor.
According to the DVAC, on October 29, Tiwari had allegedly contacted a government doctor from Dindigul regarding a closed DVAC case registered against him. He allegedly told him that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had asked the ED to investigate the matter. He further asked the employee to appear before the ED office in Madurai on October 30 for an investigation. When the person went to Madurai, Ankit had allegedly demanded Rs 3 crore as a bribe to close the case, which he later reduced to Rs 51 lakhs, after claiming to have spoken to his senior officials.
Tiwari was caught red handed when he accepted the second installment of the bribe money amounting Rs 20 lakh.
Following his arrest, the DVAC authorities raided the ED sub-zonal office in Madurai and also his residence. The searches in the ED’s office led to a conflict between the ED and the DVAC. The ED claimed that the DVAC had carried out “illegal” searches in its office and accessed sensitive and confidential records.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, December 23, the Madurai city police filed a case against as many as 15 ED officials, including the Assistant Director for hampering the investigation being carried out by the DVAC. The DVAC alleged that the ED authorities prevented them from discharging their duties. The Assistant Director of ED has been summoned before the police.