Lokpal finds gaps in CBI probe of Ramesh Abhishek
Lokpal‘s full bench, headed by Chairperson Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, has refused to accept the CBI’s clean chit to controversial, corrupt former top bureaucrat and DPIIT Secretary Ramesh Abhishek and ordered a fresh probe into the allegations of bribery and routing money in the name of relatives. Lokpal, in its 17-page order dated June 11 (uploaded recently), ordered the CBI Director to constitute a fresh probe team into the series of bribery complaints against Ramesh Abhishek.
Ramesh Abhishek (Bihar Cadre 1982 batch), who was a powerful bureaucrat during former Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s tenure, was facing allegations of huge bribery charges. His three-year tenure as Chairman of the Forward Markets Commission — the regulator on watch when the Rs.5,600-crore NSEL default blew up.[1]
The bench — Justice Khanwilkar, Justice Sanjay Yadav, former CBDT and Election Commission chief Sushil Chandra, Pankaj Kumar and Ajay Tirkey — has disapproved both the CBI’s Investigation Report of 8 May 2025 and its Supplementary Report of 21 November 2025. Its verdict on seven years of investigation, 72 witnesses and 6,753 pages of documents:
The Lokpal also noted that the CBI did not probe properly into the purchase of a home in Delhi’s plush area of Greater Kailash. This home was purchased in the name of Abhishek and his wife, Swapna, just seven months before retirement, valued at more than Rs. Five crores.
At the centre of the case is E-72, Greater Kailash-II — a four-storey building in one of South Delhi’s most expensive colonies, bought in December 2018 while Abhishek was still a serving Secretary, seven months from retirement. The purchase was carved up four ways within the family. Abhishek took the basement, ground floor, and a quarter share of the land for Rs.2,67,75,000. His wife, Swapna, took the first floor for an identical Rs.2,67,75,000. The remaining floors went to his co-brother-in-law, L.K. Agrawal, an IRS officer of the 1990 batch, and Agrawal’s brother.
After buying the property, Abhishek received Rs.1,43,36,241 from his native land in Ichinda, Odisha, and from his department. Add his post-tax income for FY 2019-20 and FY 2020-21 — Rs.93,36,294 —, and he had Rs.2,36,72,535 to spend. He spent Rs.2.46 crore.
“The CBI, however, glossed over the fact that the allegation against RPS is also that he amassed huge wealth and indulged in money laundering through his relatives… the CBI in the given facts of present complaint and the nature of allegations, was under an obligation to investigate the source of Rs.30 lac gifted by RPS to his wife — so as to fully rule out the allegation of acquisition of disproportionate assets and legitimizing ill=gotten money by resorting to such subterfuge.”
There is a detail the bench flags in passing that is hard to unsee. Between the credits landing in Swapna Abhishek’s IDBI account in late 2018, the balance in that account stood at Rs.24,405. Paytm, Amway, Lulu — and Rs.68 lakh from companies he had regulated. Abhishek retired on 31 July 2019. From August 2020, the consultancy money started arriving.
“His own affidavits disclose professional fees from 15 entities. The tabled figures come to Rs.1,34,25,021 in 2020-21 and Rs.1,35,90,353 in 2021-22 — roughly Rs.2.7 crore in two years from a man whose government salary in his last full year was under Rs.19 lakh. “The client list reads like a directory of the sectors he had just finished governing: One97 Communications (Paytm’s parent), Amway India, Lulu International Shopping Mall, the Dharampal Satyapal Group, P&A Law Offices, IAN Consultancy LLP, and a Hong Kong entity named Payas III Holding IV (HK) Ltd, which alone paid him over Rs.51 lakh across the two years,” Business World reported in detail.
“One97 Communications (Paytm) FDI proposal received during his tenure; considered at the 231st and 234th FIPB meetings Rs.26,32,000. Amway India FDI proposal received; meetings on its India operations in June 2018 and February 2019; raised at the India-US Fast Track meeting Rs.19,74,000. Lulu Group Issues taken up at the 7th High Level Task Force on Investment, Abu Dhabi, September 2019: Rs.11,05,000. IAN Consultancy LLP Its Ms Padmaja Ruparel nominated to a Startup India committee with his own approval Rs.10,90,000, said the report, detailing the bribery money flow to Ramesh Abhishek and accounts of relatives,” said the report.
Reference:
[1] Lokpal Tears Up CBI Clean Chit to Bureaucrat Who Ran Startup India — Orders Entire Investigating Team Be Thrown Out – Aug 21, 2026, Business World
For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.
- Lokpal rejects CBI clean chit to corrupt bureaucrat Ramesh Abhishek. Orders fresh probe - August 21, 2026
- CBI registers case against BluSmart’s founders - August 19, 2026
- ED raids SP leader Azam Khan’s Trust and university in UP - August 19, 2026
