CBI Arrests BSF Commandant Jibu B Mathew
A serious and deeply concerning development has emerged involving a senior officer of the Border Security Force (BSF), raising uncomfortable questions about accountability and oversight within India’s border security system.
Jibu B. Mathew, a Commandant of the 83rd Battalion of the Border Security Force, who was posted in the South Bengal Frontier along the Indo-Bangladesh border, has been arrested by the Kochi unit of the Central Bureau of Investigation.
He was reportedly detained at Alappuzha railway station while returning to Kerala on the Shalimar Express. According to investigation sources, approximately ₹45–47 lakh in cash was recovered from his possession, allegedly concealed in plastic packets inside a trolley bag. The CBI had prior intelligence inputs and conducted a targeted operation leading to his arrest.
Allegations of Bribery and Smuggling Links
Investigators allege that during his tenure at the border, he was involved in accepting bribes from cross-border smuggling networks in exchange for facilitating illegal activities, including cattle smuggling and other contraband movement. The recovered cash is suspected to be part of recently collected illegal payments.
Even more shocking are reports that subsequent searches at his residence allegedly led to the recovery of an enormous amount of unaccounted cash, with figures circulating in media discussions reaching extremely high amounts. Authorities are currently verifying the authenticity and source of these claims as part of an ongoing investigation under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
This incident has sparked serious debate about transparency and monitoring within institutions responsible for national security. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central Government has consistently emphasized strong border management and zero tolerance toward corruption. However, cases such as this raise concerns about whether internal vigilance mechanisms are sufficiently robust.
When a senior officer entrusted with protecting the nation’s borders faces such grave allegations, it naturally impacts public confidence. The matter now calls for a thorough, transparent investigation and institutional reforms to ensure that accountability is upheld at every level.
National security cannot afford internal compromise — and the public deserves clear answers.
