A 2022-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre has come under judicial scrutiny following serious allegations of accepting a Rs 1 crore bribe in a cyber fraud case. Alongside Rahul Bansal, the case involves two other police personnel.
This matter has gained public attention after an old mock interview video in which Bansal spoke against corruption and recounted his distaste for bribery surfaced on social media.
A special CBI court in Delhi is examining the matter and has directed the Chhattisgarh DGP and the CBI Director to submit an action taken report (ATR).
The case has also sparked debate on the direct recruitment route into the IAS and IPS through the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Here is a closer look at who Rahul Bansal is.
Who Is Rahul Bansal?
Rahul Bansal was born on June 26, 1994, in the Karauli region of Rajasthan. He built an extensive academic record before joining the IPS.
He graduated with a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT (BHU), Varanasi, and holds an LLB degree from Rajasthan University.
He reportedly entered government service via the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) examinations, serving as an Income Tax Inspector and qualifying as an Assistant Audit Officer.
He cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2021 on his fifth attempt with an All India Rank (AIR) of 377 (choosing Mathematics as his optional subject).
Bansal also secured a place in the UPSC Forest Service Examination 2021, finishing 45th in the final rankings. His path to the civil services was far from straightforward, as he could not qualify for the UPSC Preliminary Examination in his first four attempts.
He joined the IPS in August 2022 and was allotted the Chhattisgarh cadre. He was posted as City Superintendent of Police (CSP) in Ambikapur, Sarguja district, on Aug. 5, 2025, his first major field assignment.
As per media reports, the complaint filed by a Haryana resident states that the alleged bribe was sought in connection with an ongoing fraud investigation at the Cyber Range Police Station in Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh.
According to the complaint, Rs 1 crore was routed through hawala channels in two instalments of Rs 50 lakh each in May 2026. The complainant also claimed that his interactions with the police officials were captured during WhatsApp calls. The recordings, WhatsApp conversations and other supporting documents were later placed before the court. The allegations concern an alleged attempt to safeguard the accused in the fraud case and interfere with the direction of the investigation.
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While preparing for the civil services, Bansal had participated in a mock interview panel where he discussed governance reforms and anti-corruption measures. In the clip, he recounted a personal experience involving a local official who allegedly demanded Rs 500 to issue his brother's birth certificate.
Bansal said his brother was studying at IIT Kanpur and had to travel to the US to present a paper. With a visa application pending, the family needed his birth certificate urgently. Bansal alleged that a panchayat official asked for Rs 500 to issue the certificate promptly. Recalling the incident before the interview panel, he said the experience left him deeply uneasy.
"I felt very bad paying the bribe of Rs 500,” he said.
The stark contrast between his past statements and the current graft allegations has triggered widespread public commentary and social media discussion.
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