The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two officials linked to the Enforcement Directorate’s Lucknow Zonal Office in a bribery case that allegedly involved ₹5 lakh. The action, taken on Friday, October 23, 2026, has brought attention to a complaint that led the agency to mount a trap the same day.
What the CBI says happened
According to the CBI, the case was registered against Head Constable Manoj Dwivedi and unknown officials of the ED Lucknow office on the basis of a complaint. The allegation was that Dwivedi sought money from the father of the complainant in return for help in an ED case. The father had reportedly received two summons from the ED Lucknow Zone in August and September 2026.
Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap on October 23. During the operation, Manoj Dwivedi was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting ₹5,00,000 on behalf of Enforcement Officer Deepak Kumar, according to the agency. Both officials were then apprehended.
Officials named in the case
Deepak Kumar was posted as Enforcement Officer at the ED’s Lucknow Zonal Office. Manoj Dwivedi was serving there as a Head Constable on deputation from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the CBI said he is not an ED cadre officer. Both have been charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
In its statement, the CBI said: “The CBI registered the case on Friday against the head-constable of the enforcement directorate, Lucknow and unknown officials of the ED, Lucknow based on a complaint. It was alleged that the accused head constable (Dwivedi) demanded a bribe from the father of the complainant for helping him in the ED case in which he received two summons in the month of August and September 2026 from the ED Lucknow Zone.” The agency added that a trap was laid and Dwivedi was caught while demanding and accepting ₹5,00,000 on behalf of Kumar.
Investigation status
The CBI said its investigation is continuing to determine the full extent of the alleged misconduct and whether any other officials were involved. The official statements do not disclose the specific nature of the ED case that prompted the summons, and the identities of the complainant and his father have also not been revealed.
The arrests come amid the CBI’s ongoing anti-corruption operations targeting public servants across agencies. At this stage, the allegations remain under investigation, while the agency has confirmed the arrests, the trap operation and the charges filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
