CBI arrests IRS officer, two others in Rs 40 lakh bribery case

CBI arrested an IRS officer (Addl. Commissioner, CGST), a Superintendent of CGST, and a private person in a bribery case. They allegedly demanded Rs 1.5 crore, later reduced to Rs 40 lakh, to settle a GST issue for a firm in Raigad.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested an IRS officer serving as Additional Commissioner of Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) in Raigad district of Maharashtra, along with a Superintendent of CGST, Raigad, and a private person, on Friday in an alleged bribery case, the agency said in a release.

Bribe Demanded to Settle GST Case

The CBI registered the instant case on 26 August against the accused Superintendent of CGST on the allegations that he had demanded an undue advantage of Rs 1.50 crore for settling the GST relating to the stone-quarrying firm of the complainant. After negotiation, the demand was subsequently reduced to Rs 40 lakh, the agency said.

Accused Caught in CBI Trap

The accused public servants had arranged for collection of the bribe amount through a private person and accordingly directed the complainant. The CBI laid a trap and caught the accused private person red-handed while accepting an undue advantage of Rs. 40 Lakh, it said.

The acceptance of the bribe amount was subsequently acknowledged by the accused Superintendent of CGST as well as the accused Additional Commissioner of CGST, the agency said.

"All three accused persons have been arrested and are being produced before the competent court," the agency said.

Cash and Jewellery Recovered in Searches

"Searches conducted at the premises of the accused persons resulted in the further recovery of cash amounting to Rs 43 lakh and jewellery worth approximately Rs 90 Lakh," it said. (ANI)

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