Tripura Government Suspends Absconding IFS Officer Gaurav Rabindra Wagh Amid Massive Corruption and Money Laundering Scandal
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, May 7, 2026
In a major administrative and political development, the Government of Tripura has placed Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Gaurav Rabindra Wagh under suspension with immediate effect following serious allegations of corruption, money laundering and his subsequent escape from police surveillance.
According to an official order issued by the General Administration (Personnel & Training) Department, disciplinary proceedings against Shri Gaurav Rabindra Wagh, IFS (TR: 2020), former Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of South Tripura district, are under contemplation. Exercising powers under the All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969, the competent authority yesterday ordered his suspension pending investigation.
The suspension order further stated that during the suspension period, Wagh’s headquarters will remain at Agartala and he will not be permitted to leave headquarters without prior approval of the competent authority.
The suspension came nearly a week after the officer allegedly fled from police watch, triggering one of the biggest controversies involving the Tripura Police and Crime Branch in recent years.
The controversy originated on April 23, 2026, when State’s Special Branch police personnel at Agartala Railway Station intercepted a Mumbai-bound passenger identified as Rajendra Chintaman Kankachila. During checking, police recovered Rs 59,95,500 in cash allegedly concealed inside a trolley bag.
According to the FIR, investigators suspected the money to be linked with illegal gratification and corruption related to government works. During interrogation, Rajendra reportedly confessed that the cash had been handed over to him by his nephew, South Tripura DFO Gaurav Rabindra Wagh, for transportation to Maharashtra.
The revelations immediately brought the young IFS officer under the scanner in connection with alleged corruption, illegal financial transactions and possible money laundering activities.
The matter took a dramatic turn after investigators allegedly failed to immediately arrest the accused officer despite the serious nature of allegations and direct disclosures during interrogation.
Sources claimed that although the Crime Branch questioned Wagh for nearly two days, he remained outside formal custody. The delay in taking decisive action has now become the centre of intense criticism across political, administrative and public circles.
In a sensational development, when investigators finally moved to arrest him after several days, the officer had already disappeared from his temporary accommodation at the State Forest Guest House.
Highly placed sources alleged that the accused cleverly left his mobile phone switched on inside the room to mislead investigators before quietly escaping by road.
His successful escape despite being under active surveillance has raised serious questions regarding coordination failures, supervision lapses and possible negligence within the investigating agency.
The embarrassment caused by the escape reportedly forced Tripura Director General of Police Anurag Dhankar, IPS to convene a high-level review meeting at the Crime Branch headquarters.
Sources stated that the DGP strongly reprimanded senior Crime Branch officials, including DIG Crime Branch Sanjoy Roy, IPS and members of the investigating team, over the handling of the case and the failure to prevent the accused officer’s escape.
The DGP is understood to have expressed serious dissatisfaction over how an accused officer facing grave corruption and money laundering allegations could evade arrest despite being monitored by investigators.
Administrative circles also indicated that Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha is deeply unhappy over the incident and the manner in which the prime accused allegedly managed to flee from Tripura despite mounting evidence.
The controversy has intensified further amid allegations that certain senior officials within the Forest Department allegedly attempted to protect the accused officer in order to shield themselves and avoid wider exposure of corruption-related activities.
However, after Wagh reportedly absconded to evade arrest, the Forest Department was ultimately compelled to proceed with his suspension in accordance with service rules.
The incident has fuelled public debate over alleged double standards in law enforcement. Critics pointed out that while ordinary citizens and social media users are often detained quickly over smaller allegations, an officer accused in a major corruption case involving nearly Rs 60 lakh allegedly enjoyed enough freedom to escape.
Leader of Opposition Sudip Roy Barman has already raised serious questions over the handling of the investigation and alleged that the accused could not have escaped without negligence or possible understanding at some level within the investigating machinery.
Questions are now being raised regarding why stronger surveillance measures were not imposed immediately after the officer’s name surfaced during interrogation and why investigators delayed arrest despite the gravity of allegations.
The incident has also become particularly embarrassing because many observers believe this may be the first major case in Tripura involving an All India Service officer allegedly attempting to secretly send huge amounts of suspected illicit cash outside the state through a relative.
Meanwhile, co-accused Rajendra Chintaman Kankachila remains in police custody and investigators continue to interrogate him regarding the source of the seized cash and the possible involvement of other officials.
The FIR reportedly points toward a broader conspiracy involving corruption and illegal financial dealings connected to official works.
However, the escape of the prime accused has now overshadowed the original investigation itself and transformed what initially appeared to be a major anti-corruption breakthrough into a significant embarrassment for the investigating agency.
As search operations continue to trace absconding IFS officer Gaurav Rabindra Wagh, pressure is mounting on Tripura Police and the state administration not only to arrest the accused but also to fix accountability for what many are describing as one of the most serious investigative lapses in recent memory.
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