Corruption
Top Central GST Officers Arrested Amid Widespread Corruption Hurting Indian Economy
India’s central investigative agencies have launched a series of high-profile operations, resulting in multiple arrests of government officials and industrialists involved in corruption, bribery, and financial fraud.
IRS Officers Arrested in Mumbai Bribery Scandal
The CBI arrested seven individuals, including two senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers, for their alleged involvement in a bribery racket at the Santacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone (SEEPZ) in Mumbai.
Joint Development Commissioner CPS Chauhan and Deputy Development Commissioner Prasad Varwantkar were among those apprehended. Investigators seized documents linked to 25 properties worth Rs 40 crore and Rs 50 lakh in cash during raids. The officials are accused of granting undue favors to middlemen in exchange for illicit monetary benefits.
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Industrialist Sanjay Sureka Held in Rs 6,000 Crore Bank Fraud
In another major operation, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Kolkata-based industrialist Sanjay Sureka, owner of Concast Steel and Power Limited, for his alleged role in a Rs 6,000 crore bank fraud involving 16 banks.
Raids at 10 locations, including his Ballygunge residence, led to the seizure of jewellery worth Rs 4.5 crore and foreign luxury cars. Sureka is accused of securing massive loans through fraudulent means and failing to repay them. The ED is now investigating the money trail to determine if funds were smuggled abroad.
GST Officials Caught Red-Handed in Bribery Case
In Tamil Nadu, the CBI arrested three GST officials—Deputy Commissioner M Saravanakumar and Superintendents Ashok and Rajbir Singh Rana—for demanding a Rs 5 lakh bribe from a Madurai-based businessman. The officials allegedly threatened the businessman with a Rs 1.5 crore penalty for tax evasion unless he paid the bribe. The arrests were made following a complaint and investigation by the CBI’s anti-corruption branch.
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Nationwide Crackdown on Corruption
These arrests highlight the ongoing efforts by the CBI and ED to root out corruption and financial misconduct. With properties, cash, and luxury assets seized, the investigations continue to uncover the extent of these illicit networks and their impact on the nation’s economy.
