SFIO Deputy Director Sent to Judicial Custody in Rs 1 Crore Bribe Scandal
Rouse Avenue Court sends SFIO Deputy Director Harish Tanwar to judicial custody over allegations of demanding a bribe in the DHFL scam probe.
The Rouse Avenue Court has remanded Harish Tanwar, a Deputy Director at the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), to judicial custody following an intense interrogation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Tanwar stands accused of orchestrating a massive bribery plot, allegedly demanding a staggering ten crore rupees from a complainant to provide undue favors.
Court Order and Custody Details
Duty Special Judge (CBI) Satyabrat Panda ordered the remand of Harish Tanwar until October 28. This decision comes after Tanwar spent three days in CBI custody. The investigating officer requested judicial custody, stating that the investigation is still active and ongoing.
Tanwar is not the only person caught in this dragnet. Two other individuals, Bharat Sharma and Aryan Sharma, are already in judicial custody until October 28.
The Trail of the Bribe: From 10 Crores to 1 Crore
The case unfolded when Gopal Shivram Delvi filed a complaint on October 12, 2026. According to the CBI, Tanwar—who was serving as the Investigation Officer (IO) in SFIO Chennai—allegedly demanded Rs 10 crore from Delvi. The complainant claimed he was repeatedly approached by several individuals and received official notices from the SFIO to join an investigation in Chennai.
The allegations suggest a complex web of coercion. Delvi claimed that Tanwar threatened him to comply with demands raised by individuals named Akash Gupta, Romi, and Kavita Patil. Furthermore, it is alleged that Tanwar's senior was also involved in the scheme. The complainant also mentioned being contacted by an advocate, Shivam Srivastava, with all accused claiming to act on behalf of a mysterious figure referred to as "Bhaiya."
As the negotiations progressed, Bharat Sharma reportedly contacted Delvi, and the bribe amount was eventually negotiated down to Rs 1 crore. Delvi was then asked to provide a token payment of Rs 25 lakhs.
The CBI Trap and Arrests
After verifying the complaint, the CBI laid a trap with two independent witnesses. During this operation, an amount of Rs 20 lakhs was delivered to Bharat Sharma, which was received on his behalf by Aryan Sharma.
Harish Tanwar was subsequently arrested in Chennai on October 14 and brought to Delhi on a transit remand. He was produced before the Rouse Avenue Court on October 16, after which he was initially handed over to the CBI for three days of questioning.
The DHFL Scam Connection
The CBI revealed that this bribery attempt was linked to an ongoing SFIO investigation into the DHFL scam. The accused allegedly sought the "undue advantage" of Rs 1 crore to favor the complainant in that specific probe. During searches conducted at the premises of the public servant and the involved advocate, the CBI claims to have recovered incriminating material.
Defense Claims and Legal Arguments
The Public Prosecutor for the CBI argued that custodial interrogation was essential to identify other public servants involved and to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy.
However, the defense counsel strongly opposed the remand. They argued that the complaint appeared to have been fabricated by CBI officials and questioned the timing of the raid, which took place on the night of October 13, 2026. The defense specifically highlighted that Aryan Sharma is a 19-year-old B.Com final-year student who had no involvement in the alleged crimes.