The Central Bureau of Investigation Monday arrested a Superintendent of Central Goods and Services Tax, Mumbai while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh from a person in lieu of reducing tax liability of his company.
The CBI registered the case on Monday based on a written complaint from the director of a private company, alleging demand of illegal gratification by the accused Superintendent, Ankit Aggarwal, who was incharge of audits. Aggarwal had carried out an audit of the complainant’s company on November 26. It was alleged by the complainant that the accused had threatened to fabricate a tax demand of Rs 98 lakh against the private company and demanded Rs 20 lakh as bribe to “settle” the issue.
After negotiation, the accused agreed to accept an illegal gratification of Rs 17 lakh in exchange of reducing the alleged tax liability of the complainant’s company. The CBI laid a trap and caught the accused red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh (as part payment of bribe).
Searches were conducted by CBI at the residence of the accused at Mumbai which led to recovery of unaccounted and unexplained cash of Rs 18.3 lakh. Deeds for purchase of a property worth Rs 40.3 lakh dated April 2025 and another property worth Rs 32.1 lakh dated June 2024 was found during the search.
Searches were also conducted at the office of the accused public servant and digital evidence were seized regarding the audit report being prepared by him for the private company. The investigation is still on, an official said.
Source from: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/central-gst-supdt-bribe-reduce-tax-liability-10435351/
