KOCHI: Vigilance received more complaints about ED officials demanding bribes of crores to close cases through intermediaries. No cases have been registered in the complaints received over the phone. More complaints of ED misconduct now surfacing have put the central agency on the defensive. Vigilance Central Region SP S. Sasidharan said all proceedings will be completed after meeting the complainants involved.

A notice may be issued within a day or two to question Shekhar Kumar, the first accused in the case of demanding a bribe of Rs 2 crore and Assistant Director of the ED Kochi unit. Documents including electronic devices received from the office of the fourth accused, Chartered Accountant Ranjith Warrier turned pivotal in the case.

The interrogation of Ranjith, Vinson and Mukesh Kumar, who are in five-day custody, is ongoing. Vigilance sources said that the accused are cooperating with the questioning session.

In addition to digital documents like a laptop, iPhone and diary, crucial documents, meant to be kept at the ED office were found from Ranjith's house.

The diary contains information about the individuals summoned by the ED. Vigilance believes this to be a list prepared for bribery. Vigilance found Ranjith to be a regular visitor to the ED office. Ranjith also harbours great clout with top ED officials.

Vigilance assesses that Ranjith was dragged into this plan by Shekhar Kumar. Vigilance is now amassing more evidence to confirm the nexus of the officers involved in this bribery case.