New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Harish Kumar Tanwar, a 2017-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer serving as Deputy Director at the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) in Chennai, along with two other individuals in connection with an alleged ₹1 crore bribery case linked to an investigation involving Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL).
The arrests were made following a complaint from a businessman who alleged that the SFIO officer, through intermediaries, demanded ₹1 crore in exchange for favourable treatment in an ongoing investigation. According to the CBI, the complainant was allegedly threatened with arrest and prosecution if the demanded amount was not paid.
The other two arrested individuals have been identified as Delhi-based advocate B. Sharma and his relative A. Sharma.
CBI officials said the arrests followed a trap operation in which the advocate allegedly accepted ₹20 lakh as part payment of the demanded bribe on behalf of the SFIO officer.
The case has attracted attention because Tanwar was serving as an investigating officer in a matter connected with DHFL, a company whose financial transactions have previously been examined by multiple central investigating agencies.
Who Is Harish Kumar Tanwar?
Harish Kumar Tanwar is a 2017-batch officer of the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax), which functions under the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) in the Ministry of Finance.
An engineering graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, Tanwar entered the civil services after completing his education and working in engineering-related assignments.
He joined the IRS in August 2017 and subsequently held positions in the Income Tax Department in Delhi before moving to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office on deputation.
In August 2025, he was appointed Deputy Director (Investigation) at the SFIO under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. He was subsequently posted to the organisation’s Chennai office.
His professional career has included assignments in engineering, government infrastructure administration, income tax administration and corporate fraud investigation.
His arrest in October 2026 has brought renewed attention to his professional background and his role in the DHFL-related investigation.
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Educational Background: B.Tech. and Master’s Degree from IIT Delhi
Tanwar pursued his higher education at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, one of India’s leading engineering institutions.
According to publicly available professional profile information, he completed his Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in Civil Engineering between 2008 and 2012.
He subsequently pursued a master’s degree in Structural Engineering at IIT Delhi from 2013 to 2015.
His academic background was therefore primarily in civil and structural engineering before he entered government service.
After completing his engineering education, Tanwar worked briefly in the private sector and later took up a government engineering assignment before joining the Indian Revenue Service.
Early Career: Godrej Properties and CPWD
Before entering the civil services, Tanwar worked briefly as a Trainee Senior Executive at Godrej Properties.
He later joined the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), where he served as an Assistant Executive Engineer in Ghaziabad from December 2016 to August 2017.
The CPWD is a central government organisation responsible for the planning, construction and maintenance of various government buildings and infrastructure projects.
His experience at CPWD marked his transition from private-sector employment to government service.
In August 2017, he joined the Indian Revenue Service after qualifying through the Civil Services Examination.
IRS Career: Income Tax Postings in Delhi
After joining the IRS in 2017, Tanwar underwent foundational training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) and specialised training in direct tax administration at the National Academy of Direct Taxes (NADT), Nagpur.
Following his training, he served in the Income Tax Department in Delhi.
His assignments included positions as Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax and subsequently Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax.
These roles involved responsibilities within the direct tax administration system, which operates under the CBDT.
His service in the Income Tax Department preceded his selection for a deputation assignment at the Serious Fraud Investigation Office.
Deputation to SFIO in August 2025
In August 2025, Tanwar was appointed as Deputy Director (Investigation) in the Serious Fraud Investigation Office on a deputation basis.
The SFIO is a specialised investigating agency under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. It investigates serious and complex corporate fraud cases, particularly those involving substantial public interest, complex financial transactions and alleged violations of company law.
Tanwar was subsequently posted to the SFIO’s Chennai branch.
During his tenure, he was assigned investigative responsibilities in a matter involving DHFL, the housing finance company that had previously figured in major financial fraud investigations.
According to the allegations now under investigation by the CBI, Tanwar allegedly sought an illegal payment from a person facing scrutiny in the SFIO investigation.
How the Alleged ₹1 Crore Bribery Demand Came to Light
The CBI registered a corruption case after receiving a complaint from a businessman on Monday, October 12, 2026.
The complainant alleged that Tanwar and others demanded ₹1 crore in connection with an SFIO investigation involving an alleged cheating case related to DHFL.
According to the complaint, the officer was allegedly involved in the investigation and the complainant was threatened with arrest and prosecution.
The CBI registered a case on Tuesday, October 13, against Tanwar, the Delhi-based lawyer and unidentified public servants and other persons.
Investigators subsequently verified the allegations concerning the bribe demand and organised a trap operation.
The agency alleged that the lawyer was acting as an intermediary for the SFIO officer in collecting the demanded amount.
₹20 Lakh Allegedly Accepted as Part Payment
According to CBI officials, the trap operation led to the alleged acceptance of ₹20 lakh by advocate B. Sharma.
The amount was allegedly received from the complainant as part payment of the ₹1 crore demanded for and on behalf of Tanwar.
Following the transaction, the CBI arrested Tanwar, the advocate and the advocate’s relative, identified as A. Sharma.
The agency’s case is that the accused allegedly sought an undue advantage in connection with an investigation being conducted by the SFIO.
The alleged ₹20 lakh payment became a central part of the CBI’s trap operation and the subsequent arrests.
The full circumstances surrounding the alleged demand, the roles of the arrested individuals and any involvement of other persons remain subjects of investigation.
CBI Conducts Searches at Premises of Accused
Following the arrests, the CBI conducted searches at premises associated with the SFIO officer and the advocate.
According to officials, investigators recovered material considered suspicious and potentially relevant to the case.
The agency has not disclosed complete details of the recovered material in the information available.
The CBI is continuing its investigation to determine whether additional public servants or private individuals were involved in the alleged bribery arrangement.
The agency is also examining the circumstances in which the alleged demand was made and the roles attributed to the accused.
What Is the DHFL Case?
Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited was a major housing finance company that became the subject of multiple investigations into alleged financial irregularities and suspicious transactions.
The company came under scrutiny from agencies including the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate in connection with alleged financial dealings involving Yes Bank and its former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Rana Kapoor.
One major CBI investigation concerned financial transactions undertaken in 2018 between Yes Bank and DHFL.
The CBI registered a case in March 2020 concerning alleged irregularities in these transactions.
The allegations involved substantial investments made by Yes Bank in DHFL financial instruments and loans allegedly extended to entities connected with the company’s promoters and the then Yes Bank leadership.
Yes Bank’s ₹3,700 Crore Investment in DHFL
According to the CBI’s allegations in the earlier case, Yes Bank invested approximately ₹3,700 crore in short-term debentures issued by DHFL between April and June 2018.
The bank also sanctioned a term loan of ₹750 crore to a DHFL group company.
Investigators alleged that these transactions were connected with an arrangement under which Rana Kapoor, who was then the Managing Director and CEO of Yes Bank, received an alleged kickback of ₹600 crore.
The alleged benefit was said to have been routed through loans extended by DHFL to DOIT Urban Ventures (India) Private Limited, a company associated with Kapoor’s family.
The CBI alleged that the loans were extended against the mortgage of five properties whose value was substantially lower than the amount involved.
Investigators further alleged that the valuation of these properties considered their possible conversion from agricultural to residential land.
These allegations formed part of the earlier CBI investigation into the financial dealings involving DHFL, Yes Bank and associated entities.
The earlier financial fraud allegations and the present bribery case involving Tanwar are separate matters, although the current allegations arise from an SFIO investigation connected with DHFL.
Role of CBI and ED in DHFL Investigations
The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have examined different aspects of the alleged financial irregularities involving DHFL.
While the CBI investigated alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption-related offences in the Yes Bank-DHFL transactions, the ED examined suspected money-laundering aspects under the applicable legal framework.
The investigations brought attention to alleged financial transactions involving large sums of money, corporate entities and individuals holding senior positions in the banking and financial sectors.
The current CBI case against Tanwar concerns an alleged bribe demand during an SFIO investigation. It does not, by itself, establish that the officer was involved in the original financial irregularities attributed to DHFL and other entities.
What Happens Next in the CBI Investigation?
The CBI is continuing to examine the alleged ₹1 crore bribe demand, the circumstances surrounding the ₹20 lakh payment and the possible involvement of other individuals.
Investigators are expected to examine the material recovered during searches, the complainant’s allegations and the roles of the three arrested individuals.
The agency will also seek to establish whether any other public servants or intermediaries participated in the alleged arrangement.
The case has drawn attention to the conduct of an officer assigned to investigate a serious corporate fraud matter and the safeguards required to ensure integrity in investigative processes.
The allegations against Tanwar, B. Sharma and A. Sharma remain subject to investigation and judicial scrutiny. Their arrests do not constitute a finding of guilt, and criminal liability can be established only through the legal process.
