CBI Arrests IRS Officer Harish Kumar Tanwar, Advocate in ₹1 Crore DHFL Bribery Case

CBI officials have arrested an Indian Revenue Service officer posted in Chennai, a Delhi-based advocate and the advocate’s relative in connection with an alleged ₹1 crore bribery demand linked to the SFIO’s probe into financial irregularities at Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL).

The officer has been identified as Harish Kumar Tanwar, a 2017-batch IRS officer of the Income Tax cadre and Deputy Director at the Serious Fraud Investigation Office’s Chennai office. The other accused are advocate Bharat Sharma, based in Delhi, and Aryan Sharma, described as a relative of the advocate.

According to the Central Bureau of Investigation, the case began with a written complaint filed on October 12, 2026, by Gopal Shivram Dalvi. In the complaint, Dalvi alleged that Tanwar, Bharat Sharma and others had demanded ₹1 crore to favour him in the ongoing SFIO investigation into the DHFL matter. He also alleged that the accused threatened arrest and prosecution if the payment was not made.

The agency said it verified the allegations on October 12 and 13 in the presence of independent witnesses. During that process, Bharat Sharma allegedly asked the complainant to hand over ₹20 lakh as part payment of the total amount demanded on behalf of the SFIO officer.

After the verification, the CBI registered a First Information Report under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, relating to criminal conspiracy, and Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. A trap was then laid, leading to the arrest of the three accused after the advocate allegedly received ₹20 lakh from the complainant as the first instalment of the bribe for and on behalf of Tanwar.

Searches were carried out at the premises of the public servant and the advocate, and the agency said incriminating material connected to the case was recovered. The investigation is continuing.

Sources indicated that another senior IRS officer of the Income Tax cadre, also posted at the SFIO, has come under scrutiny because of his supervisory role in the case and has been questioned by investigators. The process of examining his role is said to be underway.

The present case relates to an alleged attempt to influence an ongoing SFIO investigation, and not to the underlying DHFL fraud itself. DHFL has been under the scanner of multiple agencies, including the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, since 2019 over alleged irregularities involving loans of around ₹34,000 crore. Former promoters Kapil Wadhawan and Dheeraj Wadhawan have been accused of diverting bank funds through shell entities and other means.

The SFIO, which functions under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, has been examining the corporate fraud aspects of the case. The CBI said further investigation is being carried out to determine the full extent of the alleged conspiracy and whether any other persons were involved.