NEW DELHI – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a corruption case against two officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for allegedly demanding a bribe to allow construction work to continue near the historic Jantar Mantar monument.
The Incident and Accused
The case was registered on April 1, 2026, following a written complaint from Manoj Kumar Aggarwal, Director of M/s Sita Constructions Pvt. Ltd.. The accused officials, interestingly sharing the same name but holding different designations at the ASI Sub-Circle Jantar Mantar, are:
- Shri Amit Kumar, Monument Attendant.
- Shri Amit Kumar, Conservation Assistant.
The Bribery Demand
The complainant’s firm had been allotted interior furnishing work for the Bank of Baroda at 16 Sansad Marg. On March 24, 2026, the ASI issued a “Work Stop Notice,” claiming the construction was unauthorized as it fell within the regulated/prohibited area (approximately 55 meters) of the Jantar Mantar monument.
According to the FIR, when Mr. Aggarwal contacted the Monument Attendant on March 30 to resolve the issue, the official allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹3,50,000 on behalf of the Conservation Assistant to revoke the stop-work order.
CBI Verification and Action
The CBI conducted a verification of the complaint on March 31, 2026. During this process, the bribe amount was reportedly negotiated down to ₹3,10,000. The Monument Attendant allegedly instructed the complainant to pay the first installment of ₹1,00,000 on April 1, 2026, promising that the notice would be revoked once the full amount was received .
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Legal Charges
The CBI has registered a Regular Case under the following legal provisions:
- Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023: Relating to criminal conspiracy.
- Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018): Relating to public servants taking undue advantage.
The investigation has been entrusted to Inspector Jaswinder Singh of the CBI Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), New Delhi.