The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked a senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer currently posted with the Income Tax (I-T) Department for allegedly possessing assets worth ₹4.22 crore, disproportionate to his known sources of income. The action follows the agency’s verification of a complaint received from the vigilance wing of the I-T Department.
According to the CBI’s First Information Report (FIR), the assets were allegedly accumulated during the officer’s postings in Gujarat between January 2012 and March 2021.
Alongside the officer, the CBI has named four others as co-accused — his wife, a Gujarat-based chartered accountant, and two officials associated with a partner firm of a Gujarat real estate group — for allegedly aiding him in concealing and investing illicit wealth. The agency has also booked unnamed individuals under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act for abetment and criminal misconduct by a public servant.
The complaint from the Directorate General of Income Tax (Vigilance), New Delhi, dated August 2024, alleged that the officer had amassed several immovable properties in his and his wife’s name that were not commensurate with their declared income. It cited details of four such properties and other financial transactions for verification.
A discreet enquiry by a CBI inspector, completed in February this year, corroborated the allegations. The findings indicated that the officer had acquired both movable and immovable assets, including multiple properties, in his and his family members’ names during his tenure in Gujarat. The CBI stated that the officer was on study leave abroad when the probe was initiated.
In one instance highlighted in the FIR, the officer is alleged to have purchased four villas in Gujarat in September 2020, registering them in the name of his wife and the relative of the chartered accountant. Within a week of registration, the chartered accountant’s family member reportedly executed a will transferring their share of the property — along with other valuable items — to the IRS officer. The FIR further mentions that a search conducted by the I-T Department in September 2021 led to the seizure of evidence suggesting these properties were undervalued at the time of purchase, raising concerns about possible irregularities.
A senior CBI official said, “The officer was found in possession of disproportionate assets amounting to ₹4.22 crore. He prima facie misused his official position to enrich himself illicitly, in violation of the Prevention of Corruption Act.”
The agency also noted that several of the transactions and asset acquisitions were not disclosed to the department, as required under the Conduct Rules applicable to public servants. Further investigations are underway to determine the full extent of the alleged misconduct and the roles of the other accused.
