NEW DELH The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday (April 7, 2026) examined former Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) Secretary, Arvind Mayaram, in a case alleging corruption in a contract for supply of exclusive colour shift security thread for Indian currency notes, according to agency officials.
The CBI had registered the First Information Report (FIR) in January 2023 allegedly involving Mr. Mayaram and unknown officials of the Finance Ministry, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and De La Rue International Limited (United Kingdom).
CBI books former Finance Secretary Arvind Mayaram
According to the FIR, the CBI received a complaint from the DEA on February 14, 2017, based on which it conducted a preliminary enquiry and found that the agreement had been extended four times till December 31, 2015.
Recording the sequence of purported events, the FIR said that on July 17, 2004, the then Finance Minister authorised the RBI to enter into an “exclusivity agreement” with the supplier. The first agreement -- for a five year period -- was signed with De La Rue on September 4, 2004.
