New Delhi [India], May 26: Explosive revelations have surfaced in the Delhi High Court involving the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), which is now facing serious allegations of abusing its authority to target a Special Judge critical of its functioning.
A controversial audio recording submitted to the High Court allegedly captures a senior ACB officer admitting efforts to frame the judge. In the recording, the officer, identified as an ACP, reportedly acknowledges that the motive was retaliation for a series of judicial orders that questioned the conduct of ACB investigations and directed the replacement of the investigating officer.
In a disturbing portion of the tape, the ACP appears to issue a veiled threat, warning of “consequences” if such orders continued. He is also heard telling the judge that he is revealing these facts on “humanitarian grounds.” The judge, in turn, is heard expressing that his actions were not personal, suggesting ACB should have sought legal remedies instead of attempting to fabricate evidence by coercing people, including hospital patients, to make statements against the court.
The issue emerged after court staff member Ahmad alleged that the FIR registered against him was false and an attempt to indirectly frame the judge. Ahmad had served in the Special Judge’s courtroom between September 2023 and March 2025. He claims that after requesting a transfer in January due to threats from ACB officials, he was later targeted following the judge’s May 15 contempt notice against the ACB. A fabricated FIR was filed against him on May 16, he alleges.
Despite a trial court denying Ahmad anticipatory bail on May 22, it instructed the ACB to follow legal protocol in the event of an arrest. Ahmad has now approached the Delhi High Court, seeking a writ petition to transfer the investigation to an independent agency such as the CBI, and to quash the FIR.
The High Court, which previously rejected ACB’s bribery probe against the judge on February 14 for lack of evidence, has ordered the State to file a status report by May 29. It had allowed the ACB to continue its inquiry only if new credible evidence emerged.
Meanwhile, the judge at the center of the controversy was transferred to another district on May 20 through an administrative order, sparking further concerns about judicial independence.
Ahmad’s legal team has accused ACB officials of corruption, intimidation, document forgery, and abuse of power, and is pushing for the case to be investigated by the CBI to ensure fairness and impartiality.
The case is being closely watched as it raises significant questions about judicial integrity, institutional retaliation, and misuse of state machinery, setting the stage for a potentially precedent-setting ruling in the coming days.