The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer and a private individual for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 25 lakh from a complainant in exchange for favourable tax-related assistance.
The arrested officer, Amit Kumar Singal, is a 2007-batch IRS official currently serving as Additional Director General in the Directorate of Taxpayer Services, New Delhi. The second accused, Harsh Kotak, is a private individual allegedly acting as a conduit in the deal.
According to the CBI, the accused duo had initially demanded Rs 45 lakh from the complainant, promising to help resolve issues related to the Income Tax Department. The complainant was allegedly threatened with legal complications and heavy penalties if he failed to comply with the demand.
Following the threat, the complainant approached the CBI, which registered a case and laid a trap. The agency caught both Singal and Kotak red-handed while accepting ₹25 lakh as the first instalment of the bribe.
After the arrests, CBI teams carried out search operations at multiple locations linked to the accused in Delhi, Punjab, and Mumbai. Officials said the operation is ongoing and further investigations are underway to uncover the full extent of the corruption.
The case has sent shockwaves through the tax administration and highlights continued concerns about high-level corruption within regulatory services.
