The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Sales Officer of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) in a corruption case involving the alleged demand and acceptance of a bribe for facilitating the handover of an HPCL retail outlet in Maharashtra.
The arrest was made following a carefully laid trap by the CBI Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), Nagpur, after the accused officer was allegedly caught red-handed while accepting part of the bribe amount.
FIR Registered Under Prevention of Corruption Act
According to the First Information Report (FIR No. RC0282026A0002) registered on January 16, 2026, the case has been booked under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018). The FIR was lodged at CBI, ACB, Nagpur, based on a written complaint received from the aggrieved party.
The accused has been identified as Pratik Tagale, Sales Officer, HPCL, Chandrapur, who earlier also had jurisdiction over Yavatmal district.
Complaint Details: ₹2 Lakh Bribe Demand for Retail Outlet Handover
As per the FIR and complaint documents, Sandip Ramkisan Jaiswal, a resident of Parwa village in Yavatmal district, alleged that the HPCL Sales Officer demanded a bribe of ₹2,00,000 to complete official formalities related to the handover of an HPCL retail outlet.
The outlet, M/s Tarabai Ramkisan Jaiswal Petroleum, Parwa, is owned by Smt. Roshani Sandip Jaiswal, the complainant’s wife and the registered proprietor. The handover process was reportedly pending despite the clearance of outstanding dues and completion of required documentation 1156859258FIR in RC0282026A0002.
Verification Confirms Allegations
Following the receipt of the complaint dated January 12, 2026, the CBI conducted a verification exercise on January 13, 2026, in the presence of two independent witnesses. During verification, the allegations were corroborated, and a prima facie case was established against the accused officer.
The verification revealed that the accused initially insisted that the entire bribe amount of ₹2 lakh be paid after completion of the work. However, when the complainant expressed his inability to arrange the full amount in one go, the accused allegedly agreed to accept ₹1,00,000 as part payment before completing the pending formalities 1156859258FIR in RC0282026A0002.
Trap Laid, Accused Caught Red-Handed
Acting swiftly on the verified complaint, the CBI laid a trap on January 17, 2026. During the operation, the HPCL Sales Officer was allegedly caught red-handed while demanding and accepting ₹1,00,000 from the complainant.
The accused was arrested on the spot by the CBI team. The successful trap further strengthened the prosecution case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, officials said 1156859258FIR in RC0282026A0002.
Investigation Assigned to CBI ACB Nagpur
The regular case has been entrusted to Vijay Kumar Singh, Police Inspector, CBI, ACB, Nagpur, for further investigation. The FIR has been formally signed and authenticated by Rishikesh Sonawane, IPS, Superintendent of Police and Head of Branch, CBI ACB, Nagpur 1156859258FIR in RC0282026A0002.
The CBI has confirmed that further investigation is continuing to examine all related aspects, including whether any other officials were involved or if similar demands were made in other cases.
Wider Implications for Public Sector Integrity
This case highlights the continued vigilance of the CBI against corruption in public sector undertakings, particularly in sensitive areas such as fuel retail operations and dealership management. HPCL, being a major public sector oil marketing company, handles thousands of retail outlets across the country, making transparency in its administrative processes critical.
For bank-linked petroleum dealerships, such cases also underline the importance of regulatory compliance, clean documentation, and timely grievance reporting, especially where bank financing, dealer financing schemes, and PSU coordination are involved.
Case Summary
- Accused: Pratik Tagale, Sales Officer, HPCL, Chandrapur
- Bribe Demanded: ₹2,00,000
- Bribe Accepted: ₹1,00,000 (part payment)
- FIR Number: RC0282026A0002
- Law Invoked: Section 7, Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988
- Investigating Agency: CBI, ACB, Nagpur
- Status: Accused arrested; further investigation ongoing
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