CBI Books 2 GST Officials In Hyderabad For Rs. 5 Lakh 'Extortion', Recovers Incriminating Documents

CBI booked the Superintendent and Inspector of Principal Commissionerate of Central Tax of the GST Hyderabad Commissionerate for allegedly extracting Rs 5 lakh bribe.

Hyderabad: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday registered a case against the Superintendent and Inspector of Principal Commissionerate of Central Tax, working at the GST Hyderabad Commissionerate in Basheerbagh for allegedly harassing and extracting bribe from the complainant.

As per the complaint, the duo was accused of demanding and accepting Rs 5 lakh from the complainant. Following this, the CBI conducted searches at two places in Hyderabad, which led to the recovery of "incriminating documents". Thereafter, the central agency booked the GST officers on allegations of bribery.

"It was alleged that accused threatened to impose Goods & Services Tax on complainant for certain alleged irregularity," CBI said.

Further, complainant alleged that accused GST officers seized the iron Scrap Shop of complainant’s private company and demanded and accepted Rs. 5 lakh as illegal gratification on July 4. The complainant also alleged that accused duo had further demanded Rs. 3 lakh to reopen the seized premises.

The central agency is currenly conducting investigation into the matter.

Ex-Superintendent Of Service Tax, Nadiad Sentenced To 5 Yrs’ Jail In Bribery Case

Meanwhile, in another case, Hashmukh Chhanganbhai Rathod, former Superintendent, Service Tax, Range, the Commissioner of Central Excise, Customs and Service Tax, Nadiad was sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 30,000 in a bribery-related case. The punishment was announced today by the Special Judge for CBI cases, Ahmedabad.

CBI had registered a case on April 24 against the said accused on allegations that  he demanded illegal gratification of Rs. 2500 in return for a Registration Certificate (Service Tax Code) (ST-2) to the complainant's partnership firm.  

After negotiation, the accused had agreed to accept bribe of Rs. 2,000 from the complainant.

Subsequently, CBI laid a trap on April 25, when the accused was caught red-handed and arrested while accepting the bribe from the complainant.

"After the completion of investigation, charge sheet was filed on 22.08.2014 against the accused for the offence of demanding and accepting illegal gratification and criminal misconduct. After trial, the Court found the accused guilty and  sentenced him accordingly," CBI said in its statement.