In a jaw-dropping lapse of duty, a drunken clerk with the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Department in Nagpur was caught on camera carting away crucial government files, some containing sensitive data worth crores in tax records, and selling them to a scrap dealer for just Rs 5,000, a report in a local Hindi newspaper said.
Identified as Mohan Gund, the clerk was seen on CCTV filling a hired auto with bundles of official files from the CGST Range Office located opposite VCA in Civil Lines. Under the influence of alcohol, Gund made multiple trips from the ground-floor office, unloading documents believed to contain confidential taxpayer data, including GST assessments, audits, and compliance records, the report added.
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The scrap dealer, unaware of the content, purchased the lot for Rs 5,000, treating them as waste paper.
CCTV footage exposes the heist
The disappearance came to light on July 17, when staff noticed missing files. A review of CCTV footage revealed Gund’s shocking act. Alarmed officials sprang into action, tracked down the scrap dealer, and paid him back to retrieve the documents. A swift suspension order was issued against Gund by Assistant Commissioner Sadhishkumar Thota. He will now be required to mark attendance daily at the CGST headquarters during his suspension.
History of misconduct ignored
Gund had a dubious record. He was earlier posted in CGST Indore and transferred to Nagpur due to repeated disciplinary violations. The report revealed he got the job on compassionate grounds after his father’s death, who also served in the department. At his new posting, he allegedly pestered colleagues for money to buy alcohol and remained absent from duty frequently, leading to his salary being withheld. Despite multiple warnings, officers had refrained from strict action, showing leniency toward his family situation. This time, however, his actions crossed all limits.
Departmental inquiry launched
The CGST Department has ordered a full-fledged inquiry. Gund’s Annual Confidential Report (ACR) is already under scrutiny and if found guilty, he could face termination from service.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the security of sensitive tax records stored in CGST offices. With some of the government’s highest revenue collections dependent on this department, easy access to such documents could be a goldmine for tax evaders. If this information had fallen into the wrong hands, it could have triggered a massive data breach and undermined the integrity of India’s tax enforcement system.
This bizarre episode has not only exposed the lack of checks within the department but also revealed how one careless employee can potentially compromise crores worth of financial information.
