Karnataka: GST Officer Busted While Allegedly Taking Rs 6 Lakh Bribe in Hubballi

In Hubballi, Karnataka, a GST officer, Bharat Kumar Hegde, was caught red-handed by Lokayukta police while allegedly accepting a ₹6 lakh bribe linked to an Input Tax Credit dispute. The arrest highlights continued vigilance against corruption in government offices.

In a significant anti-corruption move, the Lokayukta police have caught a senior official from the Commercial Tax Department in Hubballi red-handed while accepting a massive bribe of ₹6 lakh. The action demonstrates the agency’s continued vigilance against graft and corruption in public offices and sends a strong message to government officials engaged in malpractice. The accused officer, Deputy Commissioner Bharat Kumar Hegde, was apprehended during a carefully planned sting operation, exposing a blatant attempt to extort money from a businessman.

Deputy Commissioner Caught Accepting Bribe

The officer arrested in the sting operation is Bharat Kumar Hegde, Deputy Commissioner in the Hubballi Commercial Tax Department. The Lokayukta police laid a trap and caught him while allegedly accepting ₹6 lakh from Vishwajeet Nayak, a businessman from Ankola.

Bribe Linked to Input Tax Credit Dispute

The bribe reportedly arose from a dispute regarding Input Tax Credit (ITC). Vishwajeet Nayak had purchased eight tipper trucks in 2019, making him eligible for an ITC of around ₹60 lakh. Of this, he had already claimed ₹34 lakh. However, the Commercial Tax Department initiated an inquiry, alleging that the ITC claim was irregular and that the credit had been misused for other purposes.

Officer Allegedly Demanded Money

According to reports, Hegde had summoned Nayak for questioning four times previously. On the fifth summons, he allegedly instructed Nayak to “come with money” if he wished the case to be closed. Nayak refused to pay and approached the Lokayukta police, prompting the sting operation.

Lokayukta’s Swift Action

The operation was carried out under the supervision of Bengaluru Lokayukta SP Shivaprakash Devaraj. The field team was led by DySPs Mallikarjuna Chukki and Pradeep Kumar, along with Inspector Raju. The officials successfully seized the bribe money from Hegde and have filed a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The investigation is ongoing, with Lokayukta authorities examining relevant documents at the department office.