CBI arrests senior passport official in disproportionate assets case

New Delhi, Dec 9 The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Senior Passport Superintendent, currently posted at the Regional Passport Office in Mumbai and earlier stationed in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, in connection with an ongoing disproportionate assets case, the Central agency said on Tuesday.

Officials said the arrest was made late on December 8 after investigators found that the accused, Deepak Chandra, was attempting to influence witnesses and mislead the inquiry.

According to the CBI, a case was registered against Chandra on March 24, 2025, for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Investigators claim that during the check period from July 30, 2018 to September 30, 2024, he accumulated assets worth Rs 85,06,900, which amounted to 146.43 per cent more than his legitimate income.

"During the course of investigation search was conducted at residential premise of the accused which led to the recovery of huge unaccounted cash of around Rs 60 lakh, details of investments in immovable properties as well as details of various expenses of high magnitude," the CBI said in its press note.

The agency also documented details of investments in immovable properties and substantial personal expenditures that it believes could not be justified by his salary and official earnings.

In September, the Anti-Corruption Court of the CBI in Ghaziabad issued an ad-interim attachment order, allowing the agency to provisionally attach properties linked to the accused.

These included a residential flat and a commercial shop, both identified during the course of the inquiry.

Following his arrest, Chandra was produced before the CBI court in Ghaziabad on December 9.

The court granted the agency police custody of the accused until December 12 to facilitate further questioning.

The CBI said the investigation into the alleged disproportionate assets and related financial trails remains ongoing.

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