In connection with a license bribery case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) searched the residence of P Kumar, Chief Controller of Explosives at the Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO). The raid resulted in the recovery of unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 5.86 lakh. This follows the recent arrests of two high-ranking PESO officials implicated in bribery charges. The total cash seized in the ongoing case now stands at approximately Rs 2.23 crore. The CBI suspects the involvement of additional senior officials in corrupt practices and is expanding its scrutiny.

P Kumar, a Joint Secretary rank official, owns three identified properties, including flats in Panvel (near Mumbai), Vaishali (Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh), and Meerut (Uttar Pradesh). Following the cash seizure, P Kumar faced hours of questioning at the CBI office. The investigation is ongoing, with the CBI team examining the recovered documents for further leads.

The searches stem from the arrests of Deputy Chief Controllers of Explosives at PESO, Ashok Kumar Dalela and Vivek Kumar, who were apprehended in connection with alleged bribe acceptance. The bribes were facilitated by Priyadarshan Dinkar Deshpande on behalf of these PESO officials. The CBI officials claim that a corruption racket operated with the tacit approval of some senior PESO officials.

Further interrogation of senior officials is anticipated, as the CBI received substantial information about malpractices within PESO, leading to the seizure of Rs 10 lakh cash during a trap. Deshpande, acting as an intermediary, allegedly conspired with PESO officials to expedite the approval of an application submitted by Devi Singh Kachhawaha, the Director of M/s Super Shivshakti Chemical Pvt Ltd., in Rajasthan, in exchange for bribes.

DA Case Against P Kumar in 2005: In 2005, the CBI registered a case of Disproportionate Assets (DA) against P Kumar in Ghaziabad. However, the agency did not acquire sufficient evidence to proceed against P Kumar.

Deshpande Gifts Rs 22 Lakh Gold: Priyadarshan Deshpande allegedly gifted 350 grams of gold jewellery valued at Rs 22 lakh to a senior PESO official during Diwali. CBI officials are investigating the purchase documents from the jeweller and searching for the specific gold item received by the PESO official.