NAGPUR – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) in Nagpur, has registered a Regular Case against a Sales Officer of the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹2,00,000.
The accused, Shri Pratik Tagale, currently posted as the Sales Officer at HPCL Chandrapur, is accused of seeking illegal gratification to facilitate the return of a retail outlet’s operations to its original owner.
Background of the Case
The complaint was lodged on January 12, 2026, by Shri Sandip Ramkisan Jaiswal, a resident of Parwa, Yavatmal. According to the complaint, Jaiswal’s wife, Smt. Roshani Sandip Jaiswal, is the proprietor of the HPCL retail outlet M/s Tarabai Ramkisan Jaiswal Petroleum.
Due to financial crises and outstanding dues to HPCL and the State Bank of India (SBI), the operation of the pump had been handed over to an ad-hoc operator, Gajanan Enterprises, on August 1, 2025. By January 7, 2026, the firm managed to clear all dues, amounting to ₹10,50,000, and subsequently received a “No Objection” confirmation for product supply.
The Bribe Demand
The complainant alleged that on January 8, 2026, he received a call from Shri Pratik Tagale. Tagale reportedly demanded ₹2,00,000 to complete the necessary formalities to hand back the operation of the pump within a week.
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Tagale allegedly claimed the bribe was necessary because the current Sales Manager of Yavatmal was newly joined, and he would have to handle all the formalities himself. During subsequent negotiations, Tagale agreed to accept a part payment of ₹1,00,000 on January 17, 2026, before the completion of the pending work.
CBI Verification and FIR
Following the written complaint, the CBI conducted a verification on January 13, 2026, in Chandrapur. The verification, carried out in the presence of two independent witnesses, prima facie established that the bribe demand was genuine.
Based on these findings, the CBI registered an FIR on January 16, 2026, under:
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- Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018), which pertains to public servants taking undue advantage.
The investigation has been entrusted to Shri Vijay Kumar Singh, Police Inspector, CBI, ACB, Nagpur. The FIR was authorized by Rishikesh Sonawane (IPS), Superintendent of Police and Head of Branch, CBI Nagpur.
