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 Thursday, in a bribery case.
Three Accused Arrested
Those arrested have been identified as Vinay Kumar Kantheti, Additional Commissioner of GST (IRS-2009), Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs, Raigad district, Rakesh Kumar Sinha, Superintendent of GST, Raigad, and Narinder Rajput (private person).
The CBI registered a case on Wednesday 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/royalty matter relating to the stone-quarrying firm of the complainant. After negotiation, the demand was subsequently reduced to Rs 40 lakh.
CBI Lays Bribery 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.
The acceptance of the bribe amount was subsequently acknowledged by the accused Superintendent of CGST as well as the accused Additional Commissioner of CGST. All three accused persons have been arrested and are being produced before the competent court.
Cash And Jewellery Recovered
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.
