New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has caught three people, including a superintendent of CGST Central Goods and Services Tax (anti-evasion), Mumbai, red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 20 lakh.
It was informed that Rs 30 lakh of bribe amount was allegedly delivered through Hawala.
FIR lodged
As per an FIR, the CBI registered a case on a complaint against eight accused, including six officers of CGST, Mumbai, comprising an Additional Commissioner, a Joint Commissioner, four superintendents, and two private persons, including a Chartered Accountant, on allegations of bribery, etc.
It was alleged that when the complainant visited the CGST Office, Santacruz in the evening of September 4, he was kept confined in the Office the whole night and released after about 18 hours on September 5.
It was also alleged that during the complainant's confinement, one of the accused Supdt. CGST (bribe receiver) demanded a Rs 80 lakh bribe for not arresting him, which was subsequently reduced to Rs 60 lakhs.
Superintendents of CGST
Further, it was alleged that three other colleagues of said Superintendent (all Superintendents of CGST) also joined him in pressurising the complainant including through repeated use of force and hurling abuses.
The complainant was, allegedly, made to call his cousin while in confinement, to convey the demand of undue advantage by CGST Officers for not arresting the complainant and favouring him in an ongoing probe by CGST.
It was also alleged that cousin of complainant subsequently contacted an accused CA who further contacted other accused private person and senior CGST officers including accused Joint Commissioner, CGST.
Bribe was finalized
Both accused CA and other accused private persons visited the CGST office during the intervening night and negotiated the bribe with CGST officials. It was also alleged that the bribe demand was finalized for amount of Rs. 60 lakhs to be delivered to CGST officers through accused CA.
Out of negotiated bribe of Rs 60 lakhs, Rs 30 lakhs was allegedly paid by cousin of complainant through an Angadia. Further, it was alleged that only then that the complainant was allowed to leave CGST Office, the next day.
CBI laid a trap and caught accused CA red-handed while accepting an amount of Rs 20 lakh on behalf of CGST officers, out of the remaining bribe amout.
Further, controlled bribe delivery was done to other accused private person who was to further deliver the bribe to CGST officers through accused Supdt. CGST(bribe reciever).
CGST apprehended by the CBI team
During further trap proceedings, accused Superintendent CGST(bribe reciever) called the other accused private person to meet him near Oshivara Police Station, Mumbai for collecting bribe. Thereafter, said accused Supdt. CGST was also apprehended by the CBI team.
CBI arrested all the aforesaid three accused involved in accepting bribe during trap proceedings. They were produced before the Special Court for CBI Cases, Mumbai. The Court granted Police Custody of arrested Superintendent CGST and CA till September 10. Arrested private person has been sent to judicial custody.
Searches were conducted at nine locations at the official and residential premises of accused persons in and around Mumbai which led to recovery of various incriminating documents. (with Agency inputs)
