New Delhi [India], July 17 (ANI): The Rouse Avenue court remanded three jail officials, one advocate and one other person in judicial custody. They have been arrested by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) in connection with the alleged extortion and bribery racket being operated in Delhi Jails.
Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has arrested Sunil Kumar (Assistant Superintendent, Rohini Jail), Yogesh (Head Warder, Rohini Jail), Jagbir (Warder, Rohini Jail), Harender Bansal (Advocate, Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh) and Viplove Khari (Private Person, Delhi). They were produced before the Rouse Avenue court.
Investigation officer submitted that jail officials, a jailed gangster Yogesh Bhati, in connivance with arrested advocate Harender Bansal, were running an extortion racket from the jails. They were extorting money from the inmates and their family members through Paytm. Harender Bansal further transferred the money to Viplov Khari, who withdrew the same and gave it to Yogesh Bhati. Khari was in jail for some time and became friends of Yogesh Bhati.
He also submitted that during the investigation, 1,000 bank accounts were scrutinised and 200 witnesses were examined who used to pay the protection money. Earlier, six accused were arrested in February 2026.
Special Judge (ACB) Vidya Prakash remanded Sunil Kumar (Assistant Superintendent, Rohini Jail), Yogesh (Head Warder, Rohini Jail), Jagbir (Warder, Rohini Jail), Harender Bansal (Advocate, Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh) and Viplove Khari (Private Person, Delhi) in judicial custody till July 31.
They were produced before the Rouse Avenue court after their arrest. The investigation officer sought their judicial custody.
” Hence, keeping in view the allegations appearing against the accused persons, Court is satisfied that there are sufficient grounds to allow the request for grant of judicial custody remand of accused persons namely Jagbir, Yogesh, Sunil Kumar, Harendra Bansal & Viplove Khari, in order to prevent them from influencing the witnesses and/or to tamper with the material evidence,” Special Judge ordered on July 17.
The Court found force in the submissions made by the Public Prosecutor for the State that the possibility of these accused persons or either of them, or other jail officials of Rohini Jail and other persons having received money from other jail inmates or their family members, cannot be ruled out at this stage.
The Court was of the view that the matter requires thorough investigation on all the relevant aspects, which would also require sustained interrogation of the present accused persons.
The court said, “This is more so when the accused persons, namely Jagbir, Yogesh and Sunil Kumar, being public servants, are alleged to have abused their official positions, and they allegedly committed breach of public trust for their personal gain by allegedly demanding/accepting illegal gratification.
“Accordingly, the accused persons, namely Jagbir, Yogesh, Sunil Kumar, Harendra Bansal and Viplove Khari, are hereby remanded to judicial custody till July 31,” the court ordered.
During the hearing, the Public Prosecutor appeared for ACB. Investigation Officer (IO) Jarnail Singh (ACP) produced the five accused persons and prayed for 14 days’ judicial custody.
Advocate Surya Pratap Singh and Shubham Raj Anand appeared for Accused Jagbir.
They argued that the FIR was lodged in February 2026. There is no necessity to arrest the accused as he joined the investigation four times. He was called as a witness, but he was arrested.
The counsel for advocate Harender Bansal also opposed the prayer of judicial custody by submitting that advocates take professional fees from criminals multiple times. It is totally illegal to arrest an advocate on the basis of such payments.
“Can you specify when you received the professional fee and from which client?” the court asked the counsel. The counsel said that he will furnish the records.
ACB officials on Thursday said, “The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), GNCTD, had unearthed a major extortion and bribery racket operating inside Delhi Prisons, involving jail officials, inmates, advocates and private persons. The investigation had earlier exposed a well-organised criminal syndicate that allegedly extorted money from the family members of undertrial prisoners in return for providing protection, preferential treatment and other unauthorised facilities inside jails.”
The case originated from a complaint received on February 9, 2026, alleging that the complainant was being forced to make payments for the safety and comfort of his father and brother, both lodged as under-trial prisoners in Rohini Jail.
ACB laid a successful trap and registered an FIR. Officials Dinesh Dabas (Warder, Rohini Jail), Pankaj Kumar (Warder, Rohini Jail), Ravi Kumar (Warder, Rohini Jail), Jogender (Head Warder, Tihar Jail), Manish (Advocate, Faridabad) and Ashish Rana (Private Person, Delhi) were arrested in February 2026. A bribe amount of Rs 1 lakh was recovered during the operation.
Further investigation has now uncovered a larger criminal conspiracy extending beyond the initial arrests. Analysis of bank accounts, financial transactions, digital evidence, and mobile phone data revealed that illegal payments were being routed through multiple bank accounts and withdrawn in cash for distribution among members of the syndicate. Based on the evidence collected during the investigation, five more accused were identified and arrested, namely Sunil Kumar (Assistant Superintendent, Rohini Jail), Yogesh (Head Warder, Rohini Jail), Jagbir (Warder, Rohini Jail), Harender Bansal (Advocate, Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh) and Viplove Khari (Private Person, Delhi).
So far, 11 accused persons have been arrested, comprising one Assistant Superintendent, six Jail warders, two Advocates and two Private Persons. The investigation is continuing to identify other members of the syndicate, trace the complete money trail and uncover the full extent of the conspiracy. (ANI)
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