The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested three individuals, including inspector OP Rana, in a ₹20-lakh (approximately $24,000 USD) bribery case involving the Punjab Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, headquartered in Mohali, Punjab, India. The case emerged after a complaint from a Punjab state tax officer, who alleged that middlemen Vikas Goyal and his son Raghav Goyal demanded a bribe to quash a complaint against him. The CBI's investigation confirmed the demand, with negotiations reportedly lowering the bribe to ₹13 lakh (approximately $15,600 USD) in cash and a high-end Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 mobile phone intended for Rana. During a sting operation in Chandigarh, Ankit Wadhwa was arrested while allegedly accepting the bribe. The Goyals and Rana initially evaded capture but were later apprehended near Ambala at the Punjab-Haryana border. Raids on properties in Malout and Chandigarh uncovered an additional ₹9 lakh (approximately $10,800 USD) in cash and incriminating documents, indicating a deeper conspiracy. Alarmingly, Punjab Police gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles were reportedly providing protection to the middlemen. The investigation is ongoing as the CBI explores the possibility of a broader network of illegal activities involving other officials.