Bengaluru: CCB police arrest 4 GST officials for alleged extortion of Rs 1.5 crore, assault on businessman

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Sep 11, 2024, 4:22 PM IST

Four GST officials have been arrested by the Central Crime Branch for allegedly extorting Rs 1.5 crore from businessman Keshav. The officials raided Keshav’s home without authorization, seized items, and demanded a bribe. The case highlights concerns about the misuse of official power.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) police have arrested four GST officials for allegedly extorting Rs 1.5 crore from a businessman. The arrest came after a complaint was filed by businessman Keshav, who accused the officers of assault, illegal detention, and demanding a hefty bribe.

The case began on August 30, when Keshav’s home was raided by a group of officials claiming to be from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and GST departments. Allegedly, the officials trespassed onto his property, seized his mobile phone and other items, and forcibly took him to Indiranagar. They put his phone on flight mode to prevent communication. The officials, identified as Abhishek, Manoj, Nagesh, and Sonali, then called Roshan Jain, an associate of Keshav, via WhatsApp and demanded Rs 3 crore.

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Keshav and three other businessmen Mukesh Jain, Pawan Tak, and Rakesh Manak Chandani were held and threatened during the raid. They were transported to various locations on August 31, while the officials continued to pressure Roshan to arrange the money. Eventually, Roshan managed to collect Rs 1.5 crore, which Mukesh Jain delivered to the officials under duress.

After receiving the money, the GST officers reportedly signed documents, left copies with the businessmen, and released them. However, Keshav and his associates, who were shaken by the incident, decided to file a complaint with the Baiyappanahalli Police Station. The complaint included accusations of assault, threats, and extortion by the officers.

During the investigation, police uncovered that the raid was conducted without proper authorization. The case involved four officials from the Director General of GST Intelligence, Bengaluru Zonal Division. Several items were also found to have been confiscated during the illegal raid.

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The officers arrested in the case are:
1. Superintendent of Central Tax, South Commissionerate, Bengaluru.
2. Senior Intelligence Officer, GST Intelligence, Bengaluru.
3. Senior Intelligence Officer, GST Intelligence, Bengaluru.
4. Intelligence Officer, GST Intelligence, Bengaluru.

A joint operation led by CCB DCP Srinivas Gowda and East Division police resulted in the arrest of the officials based on technical evidence. The police commissioner has ordered the transfer of the case to the CCB for further investigation.

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