The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Central Goods and Services Tax Additional Commissioner, a CGST Superintendent and a private person in Maharashtra’s Raigad district in connection with an alleged ₹40 lakh bribery case. The arrests were made on August 27 after the agency laid a trap and allegedly caught the private person red-handed while accepting the money.
The arrested Additional Commissioner is an Indian Revenue Service officer serving with CGST in Raigad. According to the CBI, the case was registered on August 26 against the accused CGST Superintendent following allegations concerning a GST and royalty matter related to the complainant’s stone-quarrying firm.
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Alleged demand reduced from ₹1.50 crore to ₹40 lakh
The CBI alleged that the CGST Superintendent initially demanded an undue advantage of ₹1.50 crore for settling the GST and royalty matter concerning the stone-quarrying firm.
Following negotiations, the alleged demand was reduced to ₹40 lakh, according to the agency.
The CBI said the accused public servants arranged for the collection of the bribe through a private person and directed the complainant accordingly. Investigators then laid a trap as part of the operation.
Private person allegedly caught accepting ₹40 lakh
During the trap, the CBI allegedly caught the private person red-handed while accepting ₹40 lakh as an undue advantage.
According to the agency, the acceptance of the money was subsequently acknowledged by both the accused CGST Superintendent and the Additional Commissioner.
All three accused were arrested and are being produced before the competent court, the CBI said. The agency has not provided their names in the press release.
₹43 lakh cash, jewellery worth ₹90 lakh recovered in searches
Following the arrests, the CBI conducted searches at premises linked to the accused. The agency said the searches resulted in the recovery of an additional ₹43 lakh in cash.
Jewellery valued at approximately ₹90 lakh was also recovered during the searches, according to the CBI.
The agency said further investigation into the bribery case is continuing.
