CBI Uncovers ITBP Recruitment Scam in Ranchi; Three Officials Booked for Bribery and Fraud

RANCHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Ranchi, has registered a Regular Case (RC) against three personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) for their alleged involvement in a recruitment bribery scandal. The investigation targets irregularities found during the recruitment process of Constables (General Duty) in 2024.

The Accused Officials

The FIR names three specific ITBP personnel and includes other unknown public servants and private individuals:

• Sandeep Ranjan: Second-in-Command (2IC), SHQ (Patna), ITBP.
• Ashutosh Kunal Gupta: Constable (GD), 40th Bn, ITBP, Ranchi.
• Manoj Kumar: Constable (GD), SHQ (Patna), ITBP.

The Recruitment Fraud

The case stems from a written complaint filed by Tej Bhan Singh, Commandant of the 40th Bn, ITBP, Sukurhuttu Camp, Ranchi. An internal “Court of Inquiry” conducted by the ITBP revealed significant irregularities during the Detailed Medical Examination (DME) and Review Medical Examination (RME) for the Constable (GD)-2024 recruitment.

The investigation alleges that the accused officials:

• Shared confidential candidate information with unauthorized individuals.
• Dishonestly extracted money from candidates by promising to facilitate their clearance in medical examinations.
• Used specific mobile numbers to coordinate these fraudulent transactions.

According to the complaint, Constable Ashutosh Kunal Gupta allegedly received a suspicious amount of ₹50,000 as part of this scheme. The role of 2IC Sandeep Ranjan was also marked as suspicious following the internal inquiry.

Legal Proceedings and Jurisdiction

The FIR was registered on January 1, 2026, under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS, 2023) for criminal conspiracy, along with Sections 7, 7A, 8, and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018).

The investigation has been sanctioned through multiple levels of government approval:

• The Jharkhand Government accorded its consent for the CBI investigation on November 28, 2025.
• The Central Government (Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions) issued a formal notification on December 17, 2025, extending the CBI’s jurisdiction to investigate the matter within the state.

The case has been entrusted to Kumar Bhaskar, Additional Superintendent of Police, CBI, ACB, Ranchi, for further investigation