Lucknow: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a fresh corruption case against the Branch Manager of Bank of Baroda’s Kachhauna Branch in Hardoi district and a private recovery agent for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹45,000 to process and release a government-backed loan.
According to the FIR (No. RC0062026A0006) registered on March 10, 2026, at CBI’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Lucknow, the case has been booked under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) read with Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 for criminal conspiracy and demand of undue advantage by a public servant.
The complainant, Smt. Seema Devi, wife of Sandeep Kumar, resident of Village Kamolia, Baghauli, PS Baghauli, Hardoi (Uttar Pradesh), approached the CBI after she applied for a ₹5 lakh loan under the Chief Minister’s Yuva Udyami Yojana at the Bank of Baroda, Kachhauna Branch, Balamau, Hardoi.
In her written complaint dated March 9, 2026, Seema Devi alleged that the Branch Manager was demanding ₹45,000 as “undue advantage” through Shri Suresh Kumar Choudhary, a recovery agent, for sanctioning the loan and allowing its withdrawal. She clearly stated that she was unwilling to pay the bribe and requested strict action against the accused.
The CBI conducted a discreet verification of the complaint, which substantiated the allegations. The FIR notes that the facts prima facie disclose the commission of the offences by the Branch Manager, Bank of Baroda, Kachhauna Branch, Hardoi, and Shri Suresh Kumar Choudhary.
The case was formally registered on March 10, 2026, and has been entrusted to Shri Pradeep Kumar Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, CBI ACB, Lucknow, for investigation. The FIR has been signed by Sunil Dutt, Additional Superintendent of Police, CBI ACB, Lucknow.
This is the second major bribery case registered by the CBI in a single day involving public servants and middlemen exploiting government welfare schemes meant for youth entrepreneurship. The development highlights growing concerns over corruption in the disbursement of subsidized loans under state government schemes.
The Bank of Baroda has not issued any statement on the matter so far. The CBI has not commented publicly on the ongoing probe.
