Chandigarh: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested an enforcement officer of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) district office, Patiala, for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 2.50 lakh from an EPF consultant. The accused, Shubam Tyagi , posted at EPFO office in Patiala, Punjab, was arrested on July 22 and produced before the special CBI’s court on Thursday . The court remanded him to 14 days’ judicial custody. According to the CBI, a case was registered against the accused on July 22, 2026, following a complaint by an EPF consultant. The complainant alleged that one of his clients was facing an inquiry before EPFO officials under Section 7A of the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.The complainant told the CBI that despite submitting all the required documents, the accused enforcement officer allegedly threatened to submit an adverse report against the client and recommend the imposition of a heavy penalty. The accused allegedly contacted the complainant on the phone and asked him to meet at the EPFO Regional Office in Chandigarh on July 21,2026. During the meeting, the officer allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs. 4 lakh in return for closing the inquiry with a minimum penalty, the CBI said. Acting on the complaint, the CBI registered a case and laid a trap at sector 17 on July 22. The agency alleged that it caught the enforcement officer red-handed while accepting a bribe amount of Rs. 2.5 lakh from the accused.CBI said the investigation has been expanded to examine whether other EPFO officials were involved in the alleged bribery network. The CBI is also scrutinising Tyagi’s bank accounts, financial transactions and assets to ascertain whether he possesses disproportionate assets or was involved in similar offences.
